As seen in the Unity: Fall 2020 – President’s Report. See past copies of the Unity here.

Change Through Unity

The 2020 elections are over. With their conclusion comes some clarity about the way forward for our country and our union.

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris won a decisive victory, which provides convincing evidence that Americans are ready for a change. To make these changes, we’ll need to set aside our cultural divisions and reaffirm our resolve to work together.

At Local 152, we work together to protect and enhance the safety and wellbeing of every member. It doesn’t matter how you voted in the election. It doesn’t matter where you live or how old you are. Your problems on the job are ours to solve.

A Hopeful 2021

President-elect Biden was side-by-side with us in New England last spring as we stood with our UFCW brothers and sisters at Stop & Shop who were on strike for fair wages and benefits. We must make sure he follows through on his promises to push for fairer treatment of workers and correcting the moral injustices inherent in the corporate system.

Even without the help of Congress, the president oversees the National Labor Relations Board and other entities that directly affect what we do at the bargaining table. President-elect Biden also will appoint a director of the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC).

With a new administration that takes COVID-19 seriously, we hope to have an ally in our fight to protect the essential workers in our union. In addition to the continued need for PPE and workplace safety measures, we need a nationwide recommitment to battling this virus together and as a team.

When we’re united, we understand the vital contributions of our members at food processing facilities toward stabilizing the food chain in this country. When we’re united, we take the steps necessary to make workplaces safer for our members who care for the most vulnerable in nursing homes and medical facilities. When we’re united, we fight together to ensure our members in supermarkets have the hazard pay and benefits they deserve for keeping our communities fed during the pandemic.

Our unity will see us through 2021 and beyond. It has seen us through tough times before.

We have big challenges ahead, and just because we have an ally in the White House, it doesn’t mean the road ahead will be an easy one. We have proven before that when we come together we can make a positive change, and we start building toward that change today.

— President Brian String

Read past Messages, or learn more about President Brian String.