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voLuMe 53, n0. 3 – Winter 2013 Harvey Whille IN THIS ISSUE President President’s Message ...............................3 Matthew Molinaro secretAry-treAsurer Secretary-Treasurer’s Message .......................4 John Colella recorder Contract Negotiations Pull Out ....................5-12 executive BoArd vice Presidents Ruby Boston, Pathmark Kevin Ireland, Stop & Shop Thank You To Local 1262’s Shop Stewards! ...........13 Richard Brock, Stop & Shop Dolores Jackson, ShopRite Robert Brozowski, ShopRite Michael Kantor, Local 1262 Joseph Cahill, Foodtown Karen McManus, Local 1262 Local 1262 Announces Its 2013 Scholarship Winners ....14 Gerry Callan, ShopRite Donald Merritt, Local 1262 Michael DeMartino, Local 1262 Kathleen Moreira, ShopRite Michael Ebbe, Local 1262 Michael Piccicacco, Local 1262 William Erickson, ShopRite Stephanie Pieper, ShopRite Jeanette Galante, ShopRite Richard Taylor, ShopRite 5 13 Pam Germain, Stop & Shop Darlene Walaszek, Stop & Shop Richard Giordano, Pathmark Kathy Wilder, ShopRite Frances Green, Pathmark executive stAff Michael Kantor John Colella Executive Vice President Recorder & Field Director Sal Colarieti, Assistant Field Director Michael DeMartino, Assistant Field Director tHis Winter – And ALL yeAr – sHoP union Anthony Yodice, Assistant Field Director stores & Buy union-MAde Products Cynthia McCarthy, Communications Director Local 1262 President Whille reminds our members to shop UNION stores and buy UNION-MADE products whenever possible. Supermarkets represented by Local 1262 include: n Fairway Market n Milford Farms n ShopRite union rePresentAtives n Foodtown n Morton Williams n Stop & Shop Michael Ebbe Donald Merritt n The Fresh Grocer n Pathmark Rich Ebbe Christopher Molinaro For a list of other Union retailers and UFCW Made Products, John Faulhaber Tom Mount visit our website or www.unionplus.org. James Feimster Nancy Miller Armondo Frisenda James Mulholland Kenneth Hassett Manuel Pena The 1262 Banner (ISSN-0190-4744) is If you have comments, suggestions, published quarterly by United Food & information or news you would like us to Margaret Hreha Michael Piccicacco Commercial Workers Local 1262 consider for publication, please send to: for its members. Richard Janssen Carmen Pizzi E-mail: [email protected] Elizabeth Laughery Gary Sague President: Harvey Whille Fax: 973-777-3430 Secretary-Treasurer: Matthew Molinaro Mail: 1389 Broad Street, Clifton, NJ 07013 Karen McManus David Uczen Recorder: John Colella Periodical Postage paid at Clifton, NJ and Thomas Whille Editor: Cynthia McCarthy additional offices Volume 53, No. 3 – WINTER 2013 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Banner executive secretAriAL stAff 1389 Broad Street, Clifton, NJ 07013 Christine Connery Gladyz Feimster Valerie Morano UFCW LoCaL 1262 President’s Message Stop & Shop Of NJ/Shoprite Contract Negotiation Report egotiations with Stop & Shop of New Jersey and ShopRite officially began on Friday, October 11, n2013. The main topic of discussion as of this writ- ing (December 6, 2013) has been implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the impact it will have on our con- Harvey Whille tracts which cover nearly 24,000 members. The pace of these negotiations is not as quick as it was on the end-goal: comprehensive health care coverage, a in past years. However, we are working just as diligently secure pension and good wages. to come to an agreement that is fair for our members. As we move forward, Local 1262 will continue to The Affordable Care Act is very complex keep our Stop & Shop of New Jersey and unfortunately at this juncture poses and ShopRite members apprised of our more questions than answers. Just as progress. With that in mind, it is more important is the fact that we must also We have“ to stick important than ever for you to check address pension funding and negotiate our Information Hotline (1-888-GET- wage increases. together, be 1262) or our website (www.ufcw1262. In the meantime, please remember org) on a regular basis, as they provide that your current contract and its pro- patient and stay us with the quickest way to disseminate tections and provisions remain in place focused on the news to our members. We also urge and all wage increases negotiated in you to stay in touch with your Shop the new contract will be retroactive to end-goal: com- Stewards and the Report Committee October 19, 2013. members for your store (see page 6). Two things must be stressed during prehensive health As 2013 draws to a close, I want to these negotiations: care coverage, a take the opportunity to thank ALL of our We must be patient. There are members for your support and solidarity many complex issues involved in the secure pension this past year. current negotiations mainly related to Whether you work in ShopRite, Stop the Affordable Care Act. Local 1262 is and good wages. & Shop, Pathmark, Foodtown, Fairway working with the employers and health Market, The Fresh Grocer, Morton & fund professionals to ensure that we Williams, Milford Farms or are part of the implement all the legal requirements Hudson City Foodservice Workers, you all have at least on of this Act, while at the same time making sure all of our ” very important thing in common: solid contracts that pro- members – both full- and part-time – have the best cover- vide you with job protections that non-union workers do age available. not have as a safety net. We must avoid the rumor mill. Don’t believe anything One of the greatest privileges I have had is to be a you hear regarding negotiations unless it is issued directly member of Local 1262 since my teens, and I consider it an from Local 1262. I urge you to regularly check our web even greater privilege and honor to represent you as your site or our hotline for the most current and accurate President these many years. information on the status of our negotiations. From time I wish you and your families and friends a peaceful to time we will also issue updates that will be posted in Holiday Season and a healthy and happy New Year. your stores or mailed to your home, especially as we draw closer to concluding negotiations. Sincerely and in solidarity, We must stick together, be patient and stay focused President Harvey Whille WINTER 2013 1262 BANNER 3 UFCW LoCaL 1262 SeCretary-treasUrer’s Message Your Contract: Protecting Your Rights on The Job uring the past six months – and especially during this holiday season – there has been much reported in the dmedia about workers at places like McDonald’s and Walmart and the plight they face not only in terms of their sala- Matthew Molinaro ries and work hours but also in terms of their job security. Because these workers do not belong to a union – disciplining you – or dismissing you – for on-the-job and therefore do not have collective bargaining agree- actions. ments (commonly referred to as contracts) – they are On a daily basis, Local 1262’s Union Representatives at the mercy of their employer not only in terms of work with our members and represent them in discus- what the employer will pay them or what benefits they sions with their employers. Many times, intervention by choose to provide (if any at all) but they also lack many your Union Representative can solve the issue at hand of the job protections that we, as union without a formal grievance being filed. members, often take for granted. However, if the issue cannot be resolved Unlike Local 1262 and other union at that juncture, a formal grievance is filed members, these workers have no rights on a daily“ basis, and the issue investigated and negotiated when it comes to seniority, job security, Local 1262’s union by your Union Rep until a fair outcome is workplace grievances and a host of other obtained. Taking that one step further, if things that are clearly and legally outlined representatives the grievance cannot be worked out to the – and fiercely negotiated and defended – work with our everyone’s satisfaction, you as a member in your collective bargaining agreement members and rep- have the right to appeal to our Grievance with your employer. Review Committee (GRC) where your case For example, your contract provides resent them in dis- is heard and you can ask them to intervene guidelines that your employers must fol- cussions with their on your behalf. Finally, even if the GRC low in terms of seniority. Seniority, as employers. reviews the case and feels it has no merit you know, comes into play when schedul- and that the employer was within their ing workers, for vacation, for those who rights, the member can appeal that deci- want to apply for new positions on the bid sion to our Executive Board. sheets, etc. But seniority provisions in your contracts ” As of this writing (December 6, 2013) we are also play an important role in your job security, especially involved in Contract Negotiations on behalf of some during store closings and/or reductions in the workforce. 24,000 members employed by ShopRite or in New The seniority provisions in your contract are what Jersey Stop & Shop stores. During negotiations we helped our long-term members at Pathmark maintain often talk about the “core” issues to be addressed their jobs as the company closed stores. Although regarding contracts: comprehensive affordable health these members had to move to another location, they care coverage, pension security and good living wages. did so with their seniority and other job protections There is no doubt that these issues are extremely intact. Similarly, these provisions did the same for important (as President Whille points out in his mes- Foodtown members employed in the stores that closed sage), however I want to remind our members that our this past year due to Sandy. contracts do a lot more. Without your contract and these provisions, these Why not take a few minutes to review your contract people – your Local 1262 brothers and sisters -- would and familiarize yourself with its many protections.