Thirty years ago, our
Union embarked on a new project, the Stewards Program. The idea was to
engage our most dedicated rank-and-file activists as we forged a
stronger, more cohesive and better-informed membership.
In each
workplace a member would be selected to serve as the “eyes and ears” of
the Union and share the principles of Union Solidarity with his or her
coworkers.
A year later, on May 15, 1985, 154 members of UFCW 588
gathered for their first Stewards Seminar at the Holiday Inn in
downtown Sacramento. We presented speakers from the California
Legislature, as well as representatives of the UFCW International Union
and other special guests. We also viewed a videotape (remember those?)
on the history of the United Food and Commercial Workers and a film on
organizing non-Union businesses.
Our president emeritus, Jack L.
Loveall, launched the seminar with these words: “This is just the
beginning — an orientation to a Stewards Program that will be the
lifeblood of our Union!”
We had confidence in our success because
we knew the caliber of our most committed members. What took us by
surprise was the degree of our success.
Our last Stewards
Convention drew 600 Union activists from all parts of UFCW 8-Golden
State’s jurisdiction, from the Oregon border in the north to Bakersfield
in the south.
Our
Stewards are energized by our programs. Over the years, they have been
inspired by celebrities, political officeholders, courageous Walmart
employees and leaders in the Labor and Civil Rights communities who
urged them to stand up and raise their voices for Union solidarity.
We
have also helped give our Stewards a strong grounding in the history of
the Labor Movement. We do this because it is important to appreciate
the sacrifices of those who lived before us so we can enjoy the benefits
of things we take for granted — things like safety standards and
overtime pay.
As we move forward through the second decade of the
21st century, we will continue to reflect on where we’ve been and where
we are going.
Our Union has always been strong on innovation,
but the core principle of our Union has remained unchanged since that
day in 1984 when the first group of activists joined our Stewards
Program. In fact, it extends back to our organization’s founding in
1937.
This principle is summed up by two powerful words:
Solidarity Works!
The pending acquisition
of Safeway by Cerberus Capital Management, owner of Albertsons and
other retail chains, provides additional evidence of a new wave of
consolidation in the supermarket industry.
Fortunately, our members have UFCW 8-Golden State to stand up for them through this time of uncertainty.
Prior
to the Cerberus-Safeway deal, the giant grocery conglomerate Kroger
Inc. revealed it had purchased Harris Teeter, an upscale chain based in
the southeastern U.S.
These companies and others have stated they
need to be bigger to take on Walmart, which has been the country’s
top-volume grocer for at least a decade. Walmart is infamous for using
its size
to force its suppliers to cut costs and gain a competitive edge.
In recent years we’ve observed similar trends of consolidation in the airline, banking and telecommunications industries.
While
we’ve seen companies come and go, one thing remains constant: our
Union. In our 77-year history, UFCW 8-Golden State has built a
remarkable record in fighting for the best interests of our members. Our
only priority is service to our Union sisters and brothers.
Regardless
of what happens in the course of the Cerberus-Safeway merger, we will
do everything in our power to ensure our members’ contractual and legal
rights are protected.
This holds true for any development in the corporate offices and work sites affecting our Union family.
In
addition to contract enforcement, UFCW 8-Golden State works tirelessly
to negotiate the best wages, benefits and job protections in the
industries we serve, from wholesale meat processors to distilleries to
doctors’ offices.
We also fight to safeguard your job by
protecting Union market share (see our cover story on the closing of
Fresh Markets in Sacramento as a recent and vivid example).
We
fight for better laws in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., to give
working families a break. We fight in the courts — most recently winning
a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court (see page 7) — to protect the legal
rights of workers to speak up.
We build alliances to uphold
guaranteed lifetime security for people who retire. And we strive
constantly to provide added benefits to our members, including
discounts, access to special services and valuable tools for achieving
financial security.
All of these Union achievements and more are possible because ...
Solidarity Works!