Some 5,000 members of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1189 start negotiations Jan. 11 with the Cub, Festival, Jerry’s Foods, Kowalski, Lunds/Byerlys and Rainbow grocers in the St. Paul area.
Members and supporters kicked off their campaign with a rally at the Rondo Community Library, then held up signs at the intersection of Dale St. and University Ave. Drivers honked their car horns as workers held up signs that read, “Affordable health care for all” and “Security is a union contract.”
“Our goal in these negotiations will be one of crafting an agreement that delivers good wages, affordable healthcare and pensions along with the ability for the grocers not only to retain market share but to grow in a competitive market,” said Don Seaquist, president of Local 1189.
At the rally, he introduced more than 30 members of the negotiating committee – the largest group in the union’s history.
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Maintaining good wages and working conditions benefit not only the workers, but the entire community, Seaquist said.
“We believe, quite frankly, it’s our patriotic duty to rebuild our economy,” he said. “We cannot have national security, economic security if we don’t have good jobs.”
Speakers at the rally agreed. Economist Richard Levins said the workers’ efforts for a contract make economic sense.
Recovery from the current recession won’t come from Washington or the state Capitol, he told the crowd. “The way this economy is going to grow is by you people growing. What you are doing is so important not just for yourselves, not just for your families, but for the whole economy.”
Two organizers for the National Farmers Organization attended the rally to show their support.
“The very same forces that take advantage of working people will take advantage of agriculture as well,” driving down the standard of living, said Dave Kaseno of Barron, Wis.
Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, praised the Local 1189 members. “We support your campaign and we look forward to helping you in any way we can,” she said.
For more information
View details of the current grocery contract on the Local 1189 website
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Some 5,000 members of United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1189 start negotiations Jan. 11 with the Cub, Festival, Jerry’s Foods, Kowalski, Lunds/Byerlys and Rainbow grocers in the St. Paul area.
Members and supporters kicked off their campaign with a rally at the Rondo Community Library, then held up signs at the intersection of Dale St. and University Ave. Drivers honked their car horns as workers held up signs that read, “Affordable health care for all” and “Security is a union contract.”
“Our goal in these negotiations will be one of crafting an agreement that delivers good wages, affordable healthcare and pensions along with the ability for the grocers not only to retain market share but to grow in a competitive market,” said Don Seaquist, president of Local 1189.
At the rally, he introduced more than 30 members of the negotiating committee – the largest group in the union’s history.
| |
|
Maintaining good wages and working conditions benefit not only the workers, but the entire community, Seaquist said.
“We believe, quite frankly, it’s our patriotic duty to rebuild our economy,” he said. “We cannot have national security, economic security if we don’t have good jobs.”
Speakers at the rally agreed. Economist Richard Levins said the workers’ efforts for a contract make economic sense.
Recovery from the current recession won’t come from Washington or the state Capitol, he told the crowd. “The way this economy is going to grow is by you people growing. What you are doing is so important not just for yourselves, not just for your families, but for the whole economy.”
Two organizers for the National Farmers Organization attended the rally to show their support.
“The very same forces that take advantage of working people will take advantage of agriculture as well,” driving down the standard of living, said Dave Kaseno of Barron, Wis.
Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, praised the Local 1189 members. “We support your campaign and we look forward to helping you in any way we can,” she said.
For more information
View details of the current grocery contract on the Local 1189 website