Despite progress this week in negotiations for a new contract for workers at Safeway, a strike vote is still on track for Thursday, March 5. Pension remains an outstanding issue; “We will not allow Safeway to break its promise and eliminate the pension benefits that we have worked hard to earn,” reported UFCW 400 Communications Director Jonathan Williams after Friday’s bargaining session.
“We are continuing to prepare our members to go on strike if we don’t have a fair contract by March 5th,” Williams said. If they vote to strike, pickets will begin at 6:00 AM Friday March 6. Negotiations resume with the company again on Monday. Meanwhile, Local 400 is seeking solidarity from local unions and the general public to support the strike; email [email protected] if you and/or your organization can commit to join the picket line – please specify which Safeway location -- at least once a day from March 6-9. Click here to sign up for text alerts. graphic by DC Jobs with Justice; please post widely AFGE National Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Everett B. Kelley has assumed the office of AFGE National President following the Feb. 28 resignation of J. David Cox Sr. "Thanks to the incredible solidarity of our members, your spirit, your determination, and your focus, the important work AFGE performs every day on behalf of the 700,000 federal and D.C. government employees we represent has continued uninterrupted as we have gone through this difficult period as a union," Kelley said in an email to AFGE staff and members. "As I assume the role of National President, I am certain that our great union will continue leading the fight against attacks on our members’ pay, benefits, retirement, and rights on the job." In accepting Cox's resignation, AFGE announced the conclusion of the processing of internal charges filed last November, noting that Cox "has forfeited his right to hold or run for any AFGE-elected office in perpetuity," adding that "This resignation does not affect the investigation being conducted by Working IDEAL, nor does it alter AFGE’s commitment to process the February 2020 or any future charges filed against Cox pursuant to the AFGE Constitution." In his email, Kelley said that "we know that there is still work that we can do to improve our culture here at AFGE and make sure our own actions as a union align with our values. We remain fully committed to continuing to pursue those changes, like our recently introduced Code of Conduct for all AFGE events." photo: Kelley at the recent AFGE legislative conference Reserve your space in the 2020 Evening with Labor program guide by emailing [email protected] or call 202-974-8153. Download the order form here.
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WPFW-FM 89.3 FM; click here to hear Play: “Sweat”: Fri, February 28, 8:00pm – 10:30pm; Sat, February 29, 8:00pm – 10:30pm UUCF Sanctuary 2709 Hunter Mill Rd Oakton, VA 22124 Buy tickets here African-American Radicals and the American Labor Movement: Sat, February 29, 3pm – 6pm Embassy of Nicaragua, 1627 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009 Rally with Holmead Rent Strikers and the Campaign to Reclaim Rent Control: Sat, February 29, 3:30pm – 5:00pm 3435 Holmead Pl NW, Washington, DC 20010 |