 Workers at the Safeway's Collington Distribution Center reacted with shock and anger Thursday when they were abruptly informed that the Center is being shut down by the end of May. "It's like a slap in the face to everyone, especially to the workers because they sacrificed for the company to stay here," said Ritchie Brooks, president of Teamsters Local 730, which represents warehouse workers. Safeway parent company Albertsons said that warehouse operations are being moved to a distribution center in Denver, Pennsylvania. The workers and local officials are especially frustrated because they made concessions and pledged financial incentives four years ago to keep the facility open. "Albertsons has had the benefit of those cost savings these past years," said Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation President and CEO David Iannucci in a statement. "The company owes it to its workforce to explore every possible way to keep these jobs here in Maryland." The unions plan to fight the closure. "They told us no four years ago, and we kept it open," said Local 730's Tyrone Richardson. The move by Safeway follows last month's closing or sale of Shoppers Food stores around the region, affecting hundreds of UFCW 400 workers.
- Excerpted from a report on WJLA; photo: Teamsters 730 in October 2015, after launching an online petition urging Safeway to delay its decision to close its local distribution center  click here for latest listings
Union City Radio: 7:15am M-F; WPFW 89.3FM Metropolitan Washington Council Candidate Education Forum: Mon, February 3, 6pm – 8pm Contact organizer for details; By invitation; email [email protected] Labor [email protected]: Magpie (Greg Artzner & Terry Leonino): Tue, February 4, 5pm – 6pm WPFW 89.3FM photo: DC Attorney General Karl Racine discussed recent major wins on wage theft for DC workers on yesterday's Your Rights At Work on WPFW 89.3 FM; click here to listen to the show, or search for Union City Radio on your favorite podcast app. photo by Chris Garlock  MD: "Right-to-Work" legislation is being heard Tuesday in the House Economic Matters Committee; the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO is urging submission of testimony in strong opposition to HB 163 (must be submitted by noon on Monday, February 3rd) as well as turnout at the committee hearing at 1pm on Feb. 4. Contact Chuck Cook at [email protected] for details, including a template for testimony.
VA: Two key bills are pending, including Collective Bargaining for Public Employees and Repeal Right to Work. Click here for details. - David Stephen, MWC Political Director Did you know the leather for every single NFL football, including the ones that will be used in this Sunday’s Super Bowl, is crafted by members of UFCW Local 1546 who work at the Horween Leather Company? Sister local UFCW 1994/MCGEO reports that "The hard-working men and women of the Horween Leather Company in Chicago, Ill., have been supplying the leather for every Super Bowl football since the very first game in 1967. “It doesn’t just take a high-level of skill to throw a football, it takes a lot of talent to make one too,” said Earl Ferguson, a machine operator and UFCW Local 1546 member at Horween. Check out the video below for a peek inside the historic plant. And if you’re hosting a party on Super Bowl Sunday, be sure your snacks and drinks are union made. Wash it down with something off Labor 411's selection of nearly 250 union-made brews. |
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