Wednesday, September 30, 2009

UFCW 8-Golden State Begins Informational Picketing at Fresh & Easy in Bakersfield, Delano

ROSEVILLE, CALIF. (Sept. 30, 2009) — UFCW 8-Golden State President Jacques Loveall announced that Union volunteers established informational picket lines at Fresh & Easy stores in Bakersfield and Delano today.

The Bakersfield stores are at 11100 Olive Drive, 5190 Stockdale Hwy. and 6601 Stine Road. The Delano store is at 611 Cecil Ave.

Loveall said the Union is asking the public not to shop at Fresh & Easy and to shop instead at stores such as Save Mart, Food Maxx, Foods Co, Albertsons and Vons.

“Tesco, which is Fresh & Easy’s parent company in the United Kingdom, is siphoning money out of our community,” Loveall said. “We are responding to that provocation.”

“California has enough challenges without a foreign company coming in with substandard jobs that threaten good, local companies that bring value and good jobs to our community. It’s bad enough good American jobs are exported overseas at an alarming rate, now this global giant from the UK is coming to our country thinking they can take advantage of American workers on our own turf,” Loveall said.

“We will not allow that to happen,” he said.

Loveall noted that Fresh & Easy’s incursion into the United States poses a threat to Union market share and to the living standards of Union members’ wages and benefits.

“Our members are prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure that workers at Fresh & Easy have the same access to the good pay, health care, pension and job security enjoyed by Union members,” Loveall said.

UFCW 8-Golden State represents 35,000 workingmen and women throughout the state of California.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Union Members Ratify Merger; UFCW 8 Becomes Statewide Voice For Working Californians

ROSEVILLE, Calif. (May 19, 2009) –– Members of UFCW Local 8-Golden State and members of Southern California UFCW Local 1036 in three counties — Inyo, Mono and Kern — have voted in overwhelming numbers to ratify an agreement to join forces.

"The ratification vote affirms UFCW 8’s standing as a statewide voice that commands the respectful attention of employers," President Jacques Loveall said.

"I have always advocated stronger solidarity among UFCW sisters and brothers in Northern and Southern California," he said. "This merger means that UFCW 8 will have a voice in matters that affect the UFCW membership from the Oregon border to the Mexican border."

Loveall noted that UFCW 8 will have a seat at the bargaining table when Southern California’s UFCW Local Unions meet with the major supermarket employers to negotiate a new contract in 2011.

"This will be an important step toward marshaling all of our Union’s strength throughout California to win the strongest possible contracts for all of our members," Loveall said.

The merger was supported by the UFCW International Union, which encourages Local Unions to combine into stronger bargaining units.

UFCW 8-Golden State now represents some 35,000 members who work in stores, plants and offices from the Oregon border in the north to Kern County in the south.
Monday, February 2, 2009

Easy and Fun Health Risk Questionnaire Rewards You for Answering Questions

The Trust Fund’s HRQ Is Your Ticket to Better Health

What
The UFCW & Employers Benefit Trust Fund’s Health Risk Questionnaire (HRQ) is a fun and informative way to earn up to $250 credit toward medical costs just for learning about your health. It’s completely confidential and it’s easy to do.

What’s more, the HRQ could be the single most important thing you do for your health this year.

“HRQ” stands for Health Risk Questionnaire. You are asked simple health questions about such factors as your lifestyle, your diet, and exercise choices.

Why
Two good reasons.

Reason No. 1: Your Health. The HRQ lets you take stock of what’s going on with your health and what you can do about it. You will see firsthand just what you can do to start living healthy. The HRQ provides you with specific information customized to your answers, but it also provides the opportunity to talk to a doctor about your personal healthcare questions, if you choose. And it’s completely confidential.

Reason No. 2: Your Reward. The Trust Fund is taking a good-faith step on your behalf. This means a credit directly into your Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) just for completing the HRQ!
· $200 credit if you complete your Health Risk Questionnaire (HRQ)
· $50 additional credit if your spouse or enrolled domestic partner also completes an HRQ

The Trust Fund believes in you and wants you to succeed in fulfilling your healthy potential. The HRQ is provided by MedExpert, a trusted partner that has helped thousands of UFCW members improve their healthcare. In short, this HRQ is an ideal platform from which to launch a healthier you!

When
Complete the HRQ before March 1, 2009 to claim your credit. You can take the online version any time of day or night, and it takes only about 10 minutes to complete. The feedback is immediate, and you can also have your results emailed to you. After that, you can expect to see your reward appear in your HRA account within 45 days.

Go to UFCW8.org to find out more information today!
Thursday, January 8, 2009

UFCW International EXTENDS Scholarship Application - Available January 15 - April 15, 2009

UFCW Scholarship Program
Your union is about more than your paycheck and benefits. The UFCW is about workers coming together to build better lives for ourselves. It's about creating opportunity.

That's why each year the UFCW awards several scholarships of up to $8,000 each to UFCW members or their unmarried dependents.

The scholarship application will be available January 15 - APRIL 15, 2009



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Rules, Process for applying
Frequently Asked Questions
2008 UFCW Scholarship Winners

Other Scholarship Opportunities

Since 1992, Union Plus has awarded over $2 million in scholarships to union members and their families. Learn more and apply for the Union Plus Scholarship here. (Union Plus Scholarship applications must be postmarked by January 31, 2009)

Do you have an academic field of study in a food-related field, business, or marketing program? You may also be eligible for the International Dairy·Deli·Bakery Association scholarship.

Contact scholarship@ufcw.org with questions.