Don’t Worry... Organize!

UFCW 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall also serves as a vice president of the California Labor Federation. This column is adapted from his remarks at the federation’s recent convention in Orange County, where he, along with Union leader and Civil Rights activist Dolores Huerta, presented awards recognizing top Labor organizers from across the state.

As our Union, UFCW 8-Golden State, prepares to enter a potentially tough round of negotiations with the major food industry employers, we are reminded of tough negotiations in the past. In every case, we were able to prevail because of the solidarity of our membership.

This solidarity has worked so well for our members, it’s not surprising some employers are trying to undermine the image and strength of Unions whenever they can.

To provide some background on the current state of Unions, I’d like to review an important episode in Labor history.

Back in 1981, President Ronald Reagan set the tone for his new administration when he destroyed the PATCO air-traffic controllers Union by firing its members.

Today, we look back on this event as the beginning of a new chapter in the ongoing war against Unions.

This war began more than a century ago [see the quote by Eugene V. Debs on page 7]. It accelerated during the Herbert Hoover administration and continued with the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947. And it rages to this day, with the current administration and majorities in Congress and the Supreme Court united in trying to silence the voices of working Americans.

The early 1980s was a time of deep dread in the Labor Movement. It was also the time I started my career as a Labor organizer.

While our foes have tried to kill us off for many decades, we understand every generation faces a unique battle of its own. And in each generation, we’ve found a way to prevail.

We prevail because they’re cynical and we’re optimistic.

We prevail because they peddle fear and we inspire hope.

We prevail because they’re on the side of oppression and we’re on the side of justice.

And we prevail because they’re on the side of deceit we’re on the side of righteousness.

They may never stop telling lies about us, but we will never quit telling the truth about them.

As DeMaurice “De” Smith, president of the NFL Players Association, says, organizing a Union is a hard way to earn a living … but incredibly fulfilling.

For those who are concerned about the hostile environment in Washington, D.C. and in many state capitals across the country, I say: Don’t worry… ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE, ORGANIZE!

Be aggressive and vigilant and we WILL prevail.

Evidence of our indomitable spirit can be seen in the faces of Union organizers throughout our Golden State. It’s seen in the tearful eyes of young organizers who are eagerly taking selfies with Dolores Huerta, a true icon of Labor. And it’s seen in the joyful tears of the veterans who are seeing their values taken up by a new generation.

Sisters and brothers. we aren’t going anywhere.

When we say “UNION,” you say “STRONG”!

Solidarity Works!

The Power of Positivity: Solidarity and a can-do attitude are keys to successful negotiations

Are you part of the solution?

This is the most important question we can ask ourselves at our critical moment in history.

Anyone who has looked at Facebook or Twitter should be aware of how toxic and negative some people’s public conversations have become.

Almost everyone agrees we can do better, and yet there are some who can’t help feeding into the problem and making it worse.

We can blame Russian trolls, we can blame the political parties and we can blame the cable news shows, but ultimately the responsibility for being part of the solution lies with us.

To solve any problem, it helps to approach it with a positive attitude. When we realize a solution is possible, we can then focus on identifying the solution and implementing it.

This means casting away negative thoughts — fears, despairs and cynical presumptions — which get in the way of progress and create futile and unproductive diversions.

Everyone experiences moments when problems seem overwhelming and negativity threatens to take hold. These are the times when the task of finding and implementing solutions seems most challenging.

When we resist those negative thoughts and push ourselves toward positive actions, everything changes. We find ourselves smiling more and, lo and behold, people are smiling back at us.

We realize we have friends and allies. And solutions become possible.

This lesson can be useful as we move toward the next round of negotiations with the major supermarket employers in Northern and Central California.

As it is with any endeavor of importance, our success in negotiating successful new agreements will require courage, faith and confidence in ourselves.

We have prevailed in the past and we will prevail in the future, as long as we remember we have each other.

Time and time again, our experiences in the Labor Movement have taught us the winning solution to substandard wages, benefits and working conditions is Solidarity!

Solidarity is working people standing together for everyone’s benefit. It is the means by which members of UFCW 8-Golden State have achieved industry-leading standards in pay, health care, pensions, work guarantees, job protections, vacations, sick pay and so much more.

Solidarity is possible when we understand the power of positivity within ourselves as individuals and our Union.

Lessons of Rosie the Riveter

As I write these words on positivity and solidarity, I am inspired by the legend of Rosie the Riveter, which is told in this issue of Voice of Action.

Rosie represents the “can do” spirit of the Union Movement.

She reminds us how inclusiveness, pride and positivity can fill our lives with promise.

We are proud. We are positive. And we never forget we are part of the solution.

Solidarity Works!