During the pandemic, grocery store workers kept going to work so that the rest of us could eat. Now, as that natural disaster recedes, those same workers see another threat looming. “What will happen to working families when they can’t afford to pay Kroger’s higher prices?” asked Judy Wood, a cake decorator at Albertsons in Orange, California. Wood, a member of UFCW 324, was one of five grocery workers from around the country who came to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to warn that the proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons would have a huge negative impact, not just on consumers and on grocery workers, but on suppliers like farmers and ranchers. The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Competition Policy, Antitrust, and Consumer Rights held a hearing on the merger Tuesday afternoon. “Let's be clear, these private equity guys are not from the grocery industry,” said Jane St. Louis, a front end associate at Safeway in Damascus, Maryland, and a member of UFCW 400. “They have never worked in one of our stores. They don't know or care about our business; all they care about is making money for themselves. And now they are trying to give themselves a four billion dollar payday before this merger is even reviewed by the FTC.” “We will not sit back as our communities are destroyed,” vowed Wood. “We will fight this merger because when we fight we win.” Click here for the press conference video. - report/photo by Chris Garlock/Union City Click here for the complete calendar and details. Got something to add or update? Email us at [email protected]. Union City Radio: 7:15am, WPFW-FM 89.3 FM 2-minute audio version of the Metro Washington Labor Council's Union City newsletter. Wednesdays with Warner for the PRO Act: Wed, November 30, 8:15am – 9:15am Windmill Hill Park, 500 South Lee St, Alexandria (map) This is the final WwW meeting of the year! Fairfax County Dems Labor Caucus: Wed, November 30, 7pm – 8pm Discussion of the Dec. 15 school board's public hearing on collective bargaining, and we will also discuss the Starbucks organizing campaign that’s heating up. COMING UP Thu, December 1, 12:30pm – 1:30pm: Rally on Capitol Hill for Pregnant Workers Senate Swamp; enter at Delaware and Constitution Ave NE (across from Russell Senate Office Bldg at 2 Constitution Ave NE) (map) Monday, December 5: DC Jobs with Justice “I'll Be There” Awards This year’s awardees include ATU 689, The Museum, Luz Chavez, Migrant Mutual Aid, and National Domestic Workers Alliance – DC. CLICK HERE for tickets/details. by Dereck Stafford Mangus The outdoor sculpture garden at the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is one of my favorite places to be posted. After guarding at the BMA for the past few years, I’ve found that I’m in my best mind while working in the garden. The art is inspiring, the fresh air invigorating. It’s a great place to wander, both physically and mentally. It’s been over a year since workers at the BMA began to organize, and everything was coming down to this moment. I was glad to be in one of my favorite places when the news was announced. When the final vote of 89-to-29 came in, and the dream of a union was realized, waves of joy and gratitude flowed over me…A fine mist filled my eyes and I caught myself holding back the tears. From HYPERALLERGIC; Dereck Stafford Mangus is an artist and a security guard at the Baltimore Museum of Art; read more here. Follow the Baltimore Museum of Art Union here. DC Jobs with Justice has two new staffers: Eric Butler is the new Data and Communications Organizer and Damiana Dendy is the new Housing Organizer. “Each of them come with a wealth of knowledge, passion, and ideas for our work,” says DC Jobs with Justice Executive Director Elizabeth Falcon. Butler is a local activist, entrepreneur and artist, and Dendy is a tenant and labor organizer. Reach them at [email protected] or [email protected]. |