Free Republic

Many of the minimum wage laws passed in recent years, including in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, include waivers allowing unionized businesses to pay their employees below the minimum. The waivers in effect make unionizing workers a low-cost option for businesses unwilling or unable to pay the new minimum wage, which in cities such as San Francisco and SeaTac, Wash., which also has a waiver, will climb as high as $15 an hour when fully phased in. In those cities, businesses can sign a collective bargaining agreement with a union that sets the wages below...

People who pay union dues may be donating to Planned Parenthood whether they like it or not. The Free Beacon reported on Monday that three of the biggest unions in America donated a total of $435,000 to Planned Parenthood during 2014. The three unions were the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). AFSCME and SEIU both represent public sector employees.​ But the ties between Planned Parenthood and some of America’s biggest unions go far beyond donations. Almost all of the 2014 union-donated money was spent...

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union is a heavyweight on the labor scene. It pays its president $350,000 a year. It’s holding its next executive board meeting in February at a swanky beachfront resort in Hollywood, Florida. And it just doled out nearly $8 million to influence the last election and lobby Washington. But when it comes to standing by the obligation unions made to provide pensions to retirees, UFCW pleaded poverty in persuading Congress to let chronically underfunded union pension plans cut the benefits of workers, including those already retired.“Declining participation and factors like the Great Recession have...

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local's current legal director was disbarred from the practice of law over 20 years ago. Edward C. Chew III is the Executive Assistant to the President and Legal Director of UFCW 1776. Chew is also the Chairman of the UFCW Local 1776 Legal Trust Fund. The Supreme Court of New Jersey disbarred Chew from the practice of law “for the knowing misappropriation of client funds” in 1992. According to the Pennsylvania Disciplinary Review Board’s website, Chew remains ineligible to practice law in the state of Pennsylvania. Chew was admitted as a member of...

Few workers would turn down a raise. Union members, however, can have raises turned down on their behalf. Employees of a Pennsylvania grocery store learned this the hard way. Managers at the Giant Eagle grocery in Edinboro, Pa., wanted to reward hard work. So they boosted the wages of two dozen high-performing employees above their union rates. But United Food and Commercial Workers Local 23 was not pleased. The union argued the pay increases violated their contract, took Giant Eagle to court and forced it to rescind the raises. Why did Local 23 oppose higher pay for its members? Because...

Last night members from Stop & Shop, King Kullen, Pathmark, Fairway, D'Agostino, Key Food and Shop Rite came together to support Stop & Shop workers. Together as a union we made over 1,000 picket signs in preparation for a potential strike at Stop & Shop (Thank you to all who came and for your support!). Right now our union is still negotiating with the company. A Trustee meeting scheduled for all day tomorrow to discuss Pension & Welfare. However, we are continuing to prepare for a strike. Tomorrow you will receive more information in your store. Today our Stop &...

Making Change at Walmart, a coalition of Walmart associates, small business owners, religious leaders and other members of the community that are fighting to make change at the nation's largest employer, announced today the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will prosecute Walmart for its "widespread violations of its workers’ rights." The decision will provide additional protection for Walmart’s 1.3 million employees when they are speaking out for better jobs and working conditions. The coalition was advised Monday that the NLRB ‘s General Counsel  is prepared to prosecute a complaint against Walmart for illegal firings and disciplinary actions involving more than 117 workers,...

f you haven't done your grocery shopping yet, now might be the time to stock up. On Monday at roughly 7:30 p.m., workers of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 authorized a strike of Stop & Shop supermarket, which employs 5,500 workers represented by the union. The strike would shut down stores on Long Island, New York City, Westchester, Putnam, and Duchess counties. ... At issue is the negotiation over what health benefits will look like with the arrival of the Affordable Care Act, legislation that was sold to some lawmakers as making it easier for some...

The Obama administration continues to discount the huge impact its health overhaul law is having in turning America into a part-time nation, calling reports anecdotal and not based on complete data. To paraphrase Groucho Marx: Who are you going to believe? Me, or your own eyes? An avalanche of “anecdotes” continues to pile up as workers across the country are having their hours cut and their health benefits slashed across a broad range of industries. Loren Goodridge, the owner of 21 Subway franchises, says he has no choice but to cut the hours of his employees to 29 a week...

New Hampshire Gov. Maggie Hassan has directed the state's Rapid Response Team to provide assistance to over 1,1100 workers losing their jobs with the closing of six Stop & Shop supermarket stores and six Shaw's stores last week. The team, led by the Department of Resources and Economic Development, coordinates with companies and will hold in-person sessions to connect affected workers with services and job opportunities. "New Hampshire is an all-hands-on-deck state, we pull together and pitch in to help those in need, and I will work to ensure that state government does its part," Hassan said in a statement...

Despite traditionally being one of the biggest supporters of the Obama administration, labor unions are beginning to question the regulatory overhaul of the healthcare industry, as detrimental implications and effects of the law are becoming more clear... Several unions have become vocal about their dissatisfaction over Obamacare, including reported dissatisfaction coming from the International Union of North America, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and others...

Union bosses are not happy about Obamacare. Last week, the leaders of three major U.S. unions, including James P. Hoffa of the Teamsters, sent a scathing open letter to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leaders in Congress. They warn that if the law does not change, Obamacare will "destroy the very health and wellbeing of our members along with millions of other hardworking Americans." Clearly they feel betrayed. Here is the first paragraph of their letter: "When you and the President sought our support for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), you pledged that if we liked the health plans...

Dan from Squirrel Hill's Blog Unions that helped pass Obamacare now say it will “shatter our hard-earned health benefits” and “destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week” Three unions that supported the passage of Obamacare in 2010 (Teamsters, UFCW, and UNITE-HERE) have just sent a letter to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi which is very heavily critical of Obamacare. Among other things, the letter states:The ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.The law creates an incentive for employers...

I’m not buying it.  The big news that came out last week about the labor unions unhappy with Obamacare just doesn’t strike true.  On July 12, James Hoffa of the Teamsters, Joseph Hansen of the Food and Commercial Workers, and D. Taylor of UNITE-HERE wrote a harsh letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.  The letter stated that unless Mr. Obama enacts an “equitable fix”, the Affordable Care Act “will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week.” Ok, let’s just back up a minute.  Aren’t...

Bear in mind that Big Labor went to bat for ObamaCare in a big way throughout the months-long debate over its passage. When Tea Party activists demonstrated to raise opposition to the legislation, unions like the Teamsters counterprotested, sometimes violently, in an attempt to intimidate conservatives into acquiescence. Unions spent big money in the 2010 election hoping to protect Democrats from the consequences of their votes on ObamaCare, arguing that the bill would help the working class by sticking it to insurers and fat cats. Now that the law is about to be implemented, though, it suddenly looks awful to...

Last Thursday, in remarkably blunt language, the heads of three major labor unions – James Hoffa of the Teamsters, Joseph Hansen of UFCW, and Donald “D.” Taylor of UNITE-HERE — wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid denouncing Obamacare’s impact on employer-sponsored health insurance. Some of the highlights: “The ACA will shatter not only our hard-earned health benefits, but destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week that is the backbone of the American middle class.” “This vision [of universal health care] has come back to haunt us.” “Our persuasive arguments have been disregarded and met with...

The Affordable Care Act now has a formidable opponent in U.S. labor unions. The unions were a key ally in the law’s passage: They spent a large sum of money on the congressional campaigns of Democrats in 2006 and 2008, and union leaders lobbied in favor of health care reform in 2009 and 2010. But with growing worries that the legislation will disrupt the health benefits of its members, America’s largest unions are asking Congress to step in. Save Time Make Money! A new stock idea each week for less than the cost of a trade. CLICK HERE for your...

Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. Now They Tell Us… Union Leaders Now Say Obamacare Will Destroy ‘Health & Well-Being’ of US Workers Posted by Jim Hoft on Monday, July 15, 2013, 2:09 PM     It wasn’t that long ago that union leaders were rallying for Barack Obama and threatening to take those “sons-a-bitches” (conservatives) out. But that was before the election. Now, leaders of three major U.S. unions, including the highly influential Teamsters, sent a letter today to Democrats warning that Obamacare will “destroy the foundation of the 40 hour work week...

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) President David B. Durkee issued the following statement in response to the impending re-entry by Hostess Brands, LLC, into the snack cake market:“This coming week, Hostess Brands, LLC, is expected to re-enter the wholesale snack cake market.  Despite the fanfare, the long-term viability of this effort is highly uncertain. Rather than hire professional, experienced bakers who have produced quality snack cakes in the company’s bakeries for decades, Hostess management has chosen instead to hire primarily workers with little or no experience in the demanding wholesale snack cake baking industry.“The BCTGM...