As seen in the Unity: Fall 2024 – President’s Report. See past copies of the Unity here.
New administration, same union priorities
When it comes to politics, Local 152 has certainly seen a lot during its 20-year history.
We’ve worked with local politicians who were sympathetic to the needs of working people. We’ve also had to work around others who didn’t view working-class issues as a priority. We’ve reached out to state representatives, governors, and senators who took workers’ rights and protections very seriously, and we’ve reached out to others who couldn’t be bothered with returning our calls.
One thing we’ve never done, though, is rely solely on government officials to get things done for our members. The adage “nobody is coming to save you” has been popularized throughout the years. This couldn’t be any truer, especially on the federal level. We’ve seen occupants in the White House who were pro-labor or anti-union and ones who stuck their heads in the sand when it came to the issues that benefited working families.
Our priorities as a local union remain unchanged now that the American people have spoken by electing the Trump/Vance administration. We will continue to focus on improving our members’ livelihood through the collective bargaining process, as well as pursuing legislation on a local, state, and national level that protects and enhances workers’ rights.
The last four years of the Biden/Harris administration have arguably been the most pro-union in American history. The administration supported an impressive number of new workplace unionization efforts, creating an environment that fostered the ability to bargain stronger contracts, and passed the American Rescue Plan Act, providing essential funding to protect the pensions of hundreds of thousands of American workers, many of whom are members of the UFCW — including Local 152.
With this new administration, we are likely heading into much less friendly times toward organized labor and we’re preparing accordingly. Our mission, however, must still be the top priority. Local 152 will continue to strive to ensure and improve your safety on the job, make sure your hard work is respected with the best wages and benefits possible, and empower non-union workers to organize their workplaces.
These are just some of our priorities, and they’ll remain regardless of what is happening in the political landscape.
Also unchanged is our pursuit of a united union membership. While the Presidential election results are viewed by some as a victory and by others as a defeat, we mustn’t let our individual differences distract us from what is possible when we stand together united.
When employers become greedy and put profits over people, they’ll use all sorts of tactics to divide the workforce and prevent us from taking collective action. Let’s not help them by turning our backs on each other. Actively displaying solidarity will allow for continued success as a local union during the next four years and beyond.
Daniel Ross, Jr.
President, UFCW Local 152
