Keeping Up the Fight

here are no guarantees in life. friend who helped enact Big Box legisla- class: Bills making it harder for workers You can work tirelessly, fight tion when he chaired the Fairfax County to gain union representation and stacking tenaciously, battle fiercely and Board of Supervisors, narrowly won re- the deck even more in favor of manage- T still lose. We saw that national- election in a district designed to be a safe ment. Draconian cuts in unemployment ly on Tuesday, November 2nd. Republican seat. And in the primaries, we compensation, veterans’ benefits, student Actually, there is one won a host of hotly com- aid, food and nutrition programs, and a guarantee—if you sit on petitive races, including host of other services working families the sidelines, you’ll lose. We face those of Washington, D.C. need. Measures that reward corporations Because your adver- Mayor-elect Vincent Gray for taking jobs overseas and driving down saries will have the field an assault and Prince George’s wages and cutting benefits here at home. to themselves. Especially County Executive-elect Not to mention efforts to repeal or under- now that the Supreme on working Rushern Baker. We even mine the health security provided by the Court’s Citizens United helped oust four incum- Affordable Care Act. ruling allows corpora- families. bent Maryland state sena- So we must fight back. Hard. Even tions to spend unlimited tors who had voted though most of these efforts will be amounts of money to elect candidates against working families, replacing them stopped by a gridlocked Senate or who serve at their beck and call. with strong allies. President Obama’s veto pen, we must So I am extremely proud of all that As a result, we will have many friends recapture the narrative, expose the Local 400 members did to help elect our in public office locally. That’s especially assault on working families that’s at the recommended candidates—leaders who important with our contracts at Kroger- heart of the new House majority’s agen- stand on the side of working families. We West Virginia, Giant, Safeway, Shoppers da, and explain why a growing union gave it our all. and Kaiser expiring over the next two membership is the only way to save the In fact, we won most of our top priority years. middle class from extinction. races. Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) But nationally, we face a House of This is our cause. We will keep on easily won re-election over his predeces- Representatives whose new majority was fighting, no matter what setbacks hap- sor, the anti-worker Bob Ehrlich (R). West bought lock, stock and barrel for $167 mil- pen, because nothing matters more than Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D) was elected lion by Big Business—that’s the amount our mission of helping working families to the late Sen. Robert Byrd’s seat, helping corporations and their front groups spent improve their lives. to keep the U.S. Senate in pro-working on the election. With their lobbyists writ- Best Wishes for the Holiday Season! family hands. In Northern Virginia, Rep. ing legislation and issuing orders, we can Tom McNutt, President Gerry Connolly (D), a longtime Local 400 expect an all-out assault on the middle International Vice President

2 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNITED FOOD & COMMERCIAL WORKERS LOCAL 400 Thomas P. McNutt PRESIDENT Mark P. Federici SECRETARY-TREASURER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Sue Gonzalez RECORDER

EXECUTIVE BOARD Mike Boyle F E A T U R E S Jacqueline Bradley Terry Dixon Lisa Gillespie Nelson Graham Big Business Buys Control of U.S. House Joanne Grimaldi 4 Mikki Harris Most Local 400-Recommended Candidates Win, Buck Trend James Hepner Michele Hepner Phyllis Jackson Health Care Reform Under Attack Neil Jacobs 6 Cuccinelli, Others Do Bidding of Insurance Companies James M. Jarboe Mary Laflin Calvin McGuire European Companies Exploit Tony Perez 10 Ken Pinkard Weak U.S. Labor Laws Odis Price U.S. Ranks Below 41 Nations in Workers’ Rights Jerry Rexroad W. Christian Sauter Carolyn Shebora Coalition Demands Walmart Change Vivian Siguoin 11 Larry Southern or Stay out of D.C. Linda Sykes Workers, Residents, Small Businesspeople Join Forces D. Rex Trabue Mary Vines Carol Wiszynski EDITOR Thomas P. McNutt C O V E R S T O R Y

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Mark P. Federici CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER Holiday Time Is Union Time Bill Burke 12 Shop at Local 400-Staffed Stores DESIGN AND LAYOUT Evans Design EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Bruce Kozarsky A L S O I N S I D E The Union Leader is published by the United Food & Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 400. Office of Publication: Kelly Press Inc., 1701 Cabin Branch Rd., Landover, Md. 20785. Editorial Office: Metro 400 8 Faces of Local 400 18 All in the Family Building, 4301 Garden City Dr., Landover, Md. 20785. Main Office: (800) 638-0800. Subscriptions to mem- bers only. WEB SITES: 16 Stewards Spotlight 20 Local 400 Retirees www.ufcw400.org 18 Financial Report BC Bargaining Update

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 3 • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & LEGISLATIVE WATCH • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & Big BusinessBuys Control of Most Local 400-Recommended Candidates Win, Buck National Trend

The 2010 mid-term elections were a “What’s remarkable is how well work- to raise the economic standing of the landslide for Republicans nationally, as ing families did on a playing field so state’s working families. Throughout they gained more than 60 seats to take heavily tilted against us,” McNutt said. Maryland, nearly all Local 400-recom- control of the U.S. House and picked up “Local 400 and the labor movement over- mended candidates won. Longtime Sen. six Senate seats to reduce the Democrats’ all put in an all-out effort to Barbara Mikulski (D) was easi- majority. However, within Local 400’s support candidates who stand ly re-elected. In addition, jurisdiction, Democrats held their own with us. Our turnout efforts Democrats gained two seats in and our members helped propel most rec- helped keep the U.S. Senate in the Maryland state Senate to ommended candidates to victory. the hands of pro-working family hold a 35-12 seat margin and The election was marked by unprece- forces and kept many of our lost just six seats in the House dented corporate spending to defeat pro- allies from losing fiercely con- of Delegates, where they retain worker candidates. After the Supreme tested elections in the House. a 98-43 seat margin. Court’s Citizens United ruling allowed Local 400 members’ hard work In West Virginia, Gov. Joe Maryland Governor corporations to spend unlimited amounts helped most of our recommend- Martin O’Malley (D) Manchin (D) defeated multi- on political action, business-backed ed candidates win. We should millionaire extremist John organizations laid down a whopping $167 be proud of what we accom- Raese (R) for the U.S. Senate million to influence the election outcome. plished in this challenging year. seat previously held by the late Three of every four dollars spent on the “We should also keep some Robert Byrd, winning a race in 2010 elections came from corporations, perspective,” McNutt said. “No which he once trailed by a com- according to Open Secrets. Yet the public matter how hard you try, you manding 53 percent to 43 per- was in the dark about this because corpo- can’t win every election, and in cent margin. rations funneled their political money our lifelong mission of empow- In Virginia, Local 400 played through front groups and congressional ering working families to a decisive role in helping Rep. Senator Joe Republicans blocked legislation that improve their lives, you’re going Manchin (D-W.Va.) Gerry Connolly (D) win re-elec- would have required public disclosure of to suffer some setbacks along tion by a razor-thin 920-vote these contributions. Voters had no way to the way. We just have to dust margin in a district whose know what businesses were behind the ourselves off and get back on boundaries had been drawn by many attack ads that ran and what their the battlefield, keeping in mind the GOP to elect Republicans. true motivations were. It was even possi- that we still have allies in the However, Local 400-recom- ble that foreign corporations funneled White House and much of the mended candidates Tom money into the elections through the U.S. Senate, and that our task Perriello (D) and Rick Boucher Chamber of Commerce. remains the same: to fight hard- (D) narrowly lost their battles “What we saw on November 2nd was er than ever to meet the needs for re-election. a hostile corporate takeover of the U.S. of working families during Representative “Our members devoted count- House,” said Local 400 President Tom these troubled economic times.” Gerry Connolly less hours to supporting our rec- (D-Va.) McNutt. “Big business exploited voter ommended candidates,” McNutt anger over high unemployment, despite Local Victories said, “and because of their tireless efforts, the fact that it was caused by Wall In Maryland, Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) we can count on strong allies in the Street’s greed and recklessness, in order was expected to have a tough rematch Maryland governor’s mansion, our state to elect candidates who will do what it with former Gov. Robert Ehrlich (R), but legislatures, and many key positions in wants and defeat candidates who fight won handily by a 56 percent to 42 percent Congress. While we will face many obsta- for working families. Corporate America margin. O’Malley was strongly recom- cles over the next two years, we will start got the ‘best’ Congress money can buy. mended by Local 400 because of his work from a position of relative strength.”

4 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 LEGISLATIVE WATCH • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & LEGISLATIVE WATCH • L U.S. Housein 2010Elections The National Scene House rejects these initiatives, we must Ⅲ 62 percent oppose privatizing Social With massive big business spending fight as hard as we can for them so Security, a move that many congres- at their backs, Republicans scored huge American workers understand who is on sional Republicans favor. wins in the U.S. House. Pending the out- their side and who isn’t. At the same time, most voters support come of 10 races that were undecided at “At the same time,” McNutt said, “Big specific proposals advanced by unions press time, the GOP will likely have 243 business lobbyists will be the ones writ- and progressive allies to solve the members to the Democrats’ 192. In the ing the bills that come out of the nation’s economic problems. For example: Republican House— Senate, Democrats will have 53 members Ⅲ 89 percent of all their payback for all the to the Republicans’ 47, having held on to voters support a money they threw into several hotly contested seats due in part “Voters want a major tax credit for the campaign. Most if to the extremism of tea party opponents business to create not all of these bills will government that’s who advocated the elimination of unem- jobs in the United reward corporate greed on their side, not ployment benefits, the minimum wage, States. and even Social Security and Medicare. at the expense of work- one that’s only Republicans also gained nine gover- ing families. We must Ⅲ 77 percent support norships and are expected to control the be out there exposing out to enrich creating jobs by executive branch of 30 states, to 19 for these betrayals of the the corporate rebuilding the the Democrats and one independent. middle class if and nation’s infra- Combined with GOP pickups in many when they occur.” benefactors of the structure of roads, state legislatures, Republicans will be party in power.” bridges, schools and able to control much of the congressional No Mandate energy systems. redistricting process following this year’s Surveys of voters — Local 400 President Ⅲ 76 percent favor census, making it harder for Democrats made clear that this Tom McNutt job investment to to recapture the House in 2012. election was about jobs maintain American The likely outcome of this is gridlock, and the economy, not an endorsement of competitiveness with China, India and as the new House passes right-wing pri- the extremist anti-government, anti- Germany. worker agenda of tea party Republicans. orities such as tax cuts for millionaires Ⅲ 65 percent want federal unemploy- and rejects Obama administration initia- The AFL-CIO’s 2010 election night sur- ment insurance benefits extended for tives to help get people back to work, vey found that voters reject the central those who have lost their jobs and are while the Senate fails to muster 60 votes planks of the House Republicans’ agenda: unable to find new ones. to overcome filibusters. It is even possi- Ⅲ 85 percent of all voters oppose undoing ble that we will see a repeat of the gov- a centerpiece of the health care reform “Voters want a government that’s on ernment shutdowns of 1995 as the House law by allowing health insurance com- their side, not one that’s only out to tries to cut off any funding for implemen- panies to start denying coverage based enrich the corporate benefactors of the tation of the health care reform law and on pre-existing conditions again. party in power,” McNutt said. “That’s a refuses to compromise with the president lesson the new House majority should Ⅲ 75 percent of voters oppose reducing on the budget (see page 6). take to heart if it wants to earn the voters’ or eliminating the minimum wage, a “Our strategy is going to mix offense trust.” key position held by Raese, the losing and defense,” McNutt said. “With 9.6 per- West Virginia Senate candidate. cent unemployment, with the middle Labor at the Center class shrinking and with the American Ⅲ 68 percent oppose raising the Social Unions played a central role in limit- standard of living declining for most fam- Security retirement age. ing the losses of pro-working family can- ilies, we must push boldly for government Ⅲ 63 percent oppose cutting taxes on those didates and in spearheading many of the action to create good jobs with living who make more than $250,000 a year— key victories. Surveys showed that 64 wages and strong benefits. Even if the the Republicans’ number one priority. (Continued on page 7)

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 5 • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & LEGISLATIVE WATCH • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & Health Care Reform Under Cuccinelli, Others Do Bidding of Big Insurance Companies Politicians acting on behalf of the big their insurer or going bankrupt if they get On October 18, a hearing was held in for-profit health insurance companies are sick. It will provide coverage to 32 million federal court in Richmond on the escalating their efforts to undermine or uninsured Americans in 2014. And it will Cuccinelli suit. A decision is expected by repeal the Affordable Care Act, the his- do all this while putting a lid on skyrocket- the end of the year. toric national health care reform legisla- ing health care costs and lowering the “This lawsuit is a waste of Virginia tion passed by Congress and signed by deficit. Why anyone would want to undo taxpayer dollars at a time when the com- President Obama in March 2010. these landmark achievements for working monwealth is making tough choices They are waging war on two fronts: families is beyond me, unless they are sim- about budget cuts,” McNutt said. through the courts by filing frivolous law- ply doing what the big health insurance “Cuccinelli is choosing his own political suits challenging the constitutionality of companies tell them to do.” ambitions over the best interests of the certain provisions of the law and through people he represents by ingratiating him- Congress by trying to repeal part or all of Frivolous Lawsuits self with the insurance industry and with the law and by trying to de-fund its On the legal front, one of the most stri- tea party extremists. The lawsuit is over- implementation. dent grandstanders against the Affordable whelmingly likely to fail and if it some- “The opponents of health care reform Care Act is Virginia Attorney General Ken how succeeded, the impact would be to lied about the bill long before it passed and Cuccinelli (R), whose entire term in office deny health care coverage to millions of they’ve kept repeating the same falsehoods has been marked by extremist actions far Americans, make medical care far less and misinformation ever since,” said Local outside the mainstream. Along with other affordable and send millions more into 400 President Tom McNutt. “The fact is right-wing attorneys general, Cuccinelli bankruptcy.” this: Under the Affordable Care Act, filed suit to overturn the law, using eso- So far, judges in California, Maryland Americans will no longer have to worry teric legal theories to argue that its mini- and Michigan have rejected similar chal- about being denied coverage because of a mum coverage requirement violates the lenges to the Affordable Care Act, while a pre-existing condition, being dropped by Constitution’s Commerce Clause. judge in Florida allowed another lawsuit

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT ALREADY BENEFITS YOU Today, the Affordable Care Act: Ⅲ Bans insurance companies from cancelling policies with- Ⅲ Guarantees that children with pre-existing conditions can out proving fraud and bans denying payment for services no longer be denied health insurance. based on technical errors. Ⅲ Provides tax credits to small businesses that provide Ⅲ Makes health care coverage available to people who have health care coverage for their workers. been uninsured for at least six months because of a pre- existing condition. Ⅲ Allows young adults up to age 26 to stay on their par- Ⅲ Requires all new plans to cover preventive services such as ents’ health insurance plans. mammograms and colonoscopies without charging a Ⅲ Sends $250 checks to senior citizens who fall into the deductible, co-pay or co-insurance. Medicare prescription drug “donut hole,” with a 50 per- In addition, on January 1, 2011, insurance companies for cent discount going into effect on January 1, 2011. large employers will be required to spend 85 percent of all pre- Ⅲ Ends lifetime limits and restricts annual dollar limits on mium dollars on health care services and quality improve- benefits. ments (80 percent for insurers serving individuals and small Ⅲ Empowers consumers to appeal claims denied by insurance businesses). This will hold premium increases down and stop companies. price-gouging.

6 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 LEGISLATIVE WATCH • LOCAL 400 POLITICS & LEGISLATIVE WATCH • L

Congressional Attacks people,” McNutt said. “If the Republican In the new Congress, efforts will be extremists get their way, the insurance r Attack made to repeal the Affordable Care Act companies will get a green light to start up to proceed further. The minimum coverage entirely or to substantially weaken it as all their old abuses again, including deny- requirement in question is central to the newly elected representatives and sena- ing coverage to those who most need it and new law’s ability to work successfully. It tors who benefitted from massive cam- cutting people off as soon as they become advances personal responsibility by paign spending by the insurance industry sick. They would be free to raise premiums requiring all Americans to have health try to pay their benefactors back. While as high as they want, to reimpose caps on insurance, similar to the requirement that any legislation along these lines would be benefits and to drive their own subscribers drivers have auto insurance. This will pre- vetoed by President Obama, Republicans into bankruptcy. Senior citizens would face vent people from abusing the system, ease will try to eliminate funding for the a new donut hole in their prescription drug the cost burden on those who have insur- implementation of health care reform. coverage. And the deficit would increase by ance, and make it affordable for those who Some of them have said explicitly that more than $1 trillion over the next 20 years. don’t because families earning up to their goal is to force another government “Instead of inflicting this disaster on $88,000 a year will receive assistance in shutdown just like 1995, a move that the American people, Congress should paying their premiums. Removing the min- would have a devastating impact on the fully implement the law and even imum coverage requirement would add 27 delivery of needed government services strengthen it further,” McNutt said. “That percent to the cost of premiums because as well as the region’s economy. would be good for the health of working some people would delay getting insur- “Let’s take a clear-eyed look at the families, the health of the economy and ance until they become sick. choice facing Congress and the American the health of the federal budget.”

incoming chairman of the House workers’ rights or their economic 2010Elections Education and Labor Committee, Rep. standing. Continued from page 5 John Kline (R-Minn.), has sponsored “In fact, if the new Congress wants legislation that would prohibit employ- to help get the American standard of percent of union members who went to ers from recognizing a union if a major- living rising again, the one sure-fire the polls voted for recommended candi- ity of its workers sign union way to succeed is to guarantee that all dates. Overall, 200,000 union members authorization cards, and is widely workers who want union representa- volunteered as part of labor’s election expected to push hard for its passage in tion can achieve it,” McNutt said. mobilization. They distributed 19.4 mil- the next Congress. “Our economy is out of balance, and lion fliers, knocked on 8.5 million “This is an assault on democracy,” the way to make it more fair is to doors, made millions of phone calls, McNutt said. “If a majority of workers ensure that workers have more money and spoke one-on-one to countless num- want union representation, their in their pockets and a voice on the job,” bers of their fellow workers. employer should be required to recog- McNutt said. He pointed out that work- “We did our part,” McNutt said. “But nize the union and bargain in good ers in unions earn 14 percent higher to do more, we have to keep growing faith on a new contract. Instead, many wages than their non-union counter- our union and our movement. The more House Republicans want to ban parts, are 28 percent more likely to members we have, the more powerful employers from recognizing the union have health insurance, and are 54 per- we are not only at the bargaining table a majority of their workers want and cent more likely to have a pension. but the ballot box, too.” instead force representation to be “Unions keep corporations in check Recognizing labor’s effectiveness on decided through a drawn-out process and they are the fastest path to rebuild- behalf of pro-working family candi- that stacks the deck in favor of man- ing the middle class,” McNutt said. dates, congressional Republicans plan agement. This is yet another example “That’s why the corporate Congress to wage an all-out assault on the right of how the new House majority sees hates us—and it’s why we’ve got to of workers to empower themselves itself as doing the bidding of big busi- fight harder than ever for working fam- through union representation. The ness no matter what the damage is to ilies over the next two years.”

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 7 Sholara Williams RN/Certified Diabetes Educator Kaiser Prince George’s Medical Center Hyattsville, Md.

Luis Vargas Produce Safeway #693 Washington, D.C.

Mike Floyd Produce Manager Giant #315 Pooja Lucas Lanham, Md. Business Manager Bloomingdale’s Chevy Chase, Md.

8 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Cheryl Brown Seafood Lead Kroger #536 Norfolk, Va.

Greg Robertson Cashier Shoppers #2339 New Carrollton, Md.

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 9 Many European companies that Ⅲ The German-owned T-Mobile character- have good labor relations in their European ized employees’ “talking about rights” as a dangerous activity to be reported home countries routinely undermine immediately to management. workers’ rights in the United States, Companies Ⅲ The management at DHL, which is also according to a groundbreaking German-owned, threatened and discrimi- report recently issued by Human Exploit nated against workers who tried to Rights Watch. organize. Ⅲ The British-owned Tesco tried to muzzle The international human rights advoca- Weak U.S. worker communication about unions at cy organization charged a wide variety of their Fresh & Easy Neighborhood European-based companies with violating Labor Markets chain. their stated commitment to human and workers’ rights by engaging in “aggressive Laws Ⅲ Sodexo, based in France, threatened, campaigns to keep workers in the United interrogated, and fired workers who tried States from organizing and bargaining, U.S. Ranks Below 41 Nations to form a union. violating international standards and, in Workers’ Rights Ⅲ The Dutch Gamma Holding company often, U.S. labor laws.” hired permanent replacements— Echoing these findings, another recent study by Freedom violating international standards but not U.S. law—to take House, an independent watchdog organization, ranked the U.S. the jobs of striking workers. below 41 countries, including all of Western Europe, Canada, The array of anti-worker practices these and other compa- Australia, and even some developing nations like Belize, Chile nies engage in would be scandalous if they occurred in Europe. and Namibia, in its enforcement of workers’ rights. But in America, they mirror the behavior of the worst U.S. “We know from first-hand experience that European compa- union-busters. nies often treat their workers fairly at home, but “Even self-proclaimed ‘progressive’ compa- come to the U.S. and treat our workers with con- “Many nies can and do take full advantage of weak U.S. tempt,” said Local 400 President Tom McNutt. laws to stifle freedom of association,” said “Now, a well-respected international human European CEOs Arvind Ganesan, director of the Business and rights organization has documented how many view the U.S. Human Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. European CEOs view the U.S. as a Third World “Unless the U.S. strengthens and enforces labor country when it comes to exploiting cheap labor as a Third standards, it’s hard to see how workers in the and avoiding unions. World country.” U.S. will exercise their rights.” “We’ve seen this first-hand in the past with Similarly, the Freedom House report, titled The companies like the non-union, low-wage Food — Local 400 Global State of Workers’ Rights: Free Labor in a Lion, based in Belgium,” McNutt said. “We also President Tom McNutt Hostile World, states, “The overall political envi- see it in the double-breasting of the Dutch compa- ronment in the U.S. is distinctly hostile to unions, ny Royal Ahold, which owns Giant Landover, where our mem- collective bargaining, and labor protest and has encouraged bers work, and the non-union Martin’s chain in Virginia, which growing resistance to unions by employers. Management has is trying to take business away from our members’ Kroger used a variety of tactics to forestall unionization and has shown a stores. willingness to violate labor law if it would result in the defeat of a “The Human Rights Watch report quite rightly takes compa- campaign to gain bargaining recognition for a union.” nies like these to task for their hypocrisy and for violating inter- “The United States was once a beacon of freedom and oppor- national labor standards,” McNutt said. “But it also notes the tunity, a place where workers could empower themselves pathetic state of U.S. labor law and documents many instances through union representation, lift themselves into the middle when European companies violate these laws and get away class, and achieve financial, health and retirement security,” with it. This makes the case, yet again, for why we must enact McNutt said. “No longer. Today, there are many other nations the Employee Free Choice Act to give U.S. workers a free and where workers enjoy stronger rights and better earnings, while fair choice about whether to join a union.” these countries’ companies come here to take advantage of Among many instances in which “the European Dr. Jekyll America’s lower standards. That is a disgrace. And we must becomes an American Mr. Hyde,” the report cites the following: change it.”

10 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Coalition Demands Walmart Change or Stay out of D.C.

In a concerted effort to This Safeway in Landover, any development project raise the standard of living Md., closed after a Walmart receiving a tax subsidy of opened next door. $200,000 or more hire local and keep small businesses residents, train workers, and alive in Washington, D.C., a build the facility under a broad coalition of workers, Project Labor Agreement. They community activists and are also lobbying the Council to amend the FEED DC Act so small business owners are that retailers must abide by joining forces to block Washington, D.C.’s Living plans by Walmart to locate four Healthy Communities has made clear that Wage Statute to be eligible for tax subsi- stores in the city unless the com- it will only accept the presence of dies under the program, which is sup- Walmart if it agrees to a Covenant for posed to expand the availability of pany changes its practices. Community Benefits, providing that it will: healthy, affordable food in underserved The Coalition for Living Wages and Ⅲ Provide full-time, living wage jobs with neighborhoods. Healthy Communities is calling for estab- benefits. “The people of Washington, D.C., lishment of a Covenant for Community Ⅲ Ensure that a majority of its workers need jobs and access to nutritious food,” Benefits under which Walmart could only are local residents. McNutt said, “but they must be jobs in operate in the District of Columbia if it Ⅲ Fund a training program. which workers are treated with dignity behaved responsibly. and lifted out of poverty into the middle Ⅲ Guarantee equal pay and promotional “Wherever Walmart locates, it acts as class. Those aren’t the kind of jobs opportunities for women. a parasite in the community,” said Local Walmart has created up to now, but they 400 President Tom McNutt. “It drives Ⅲ Pay its fair share of taxes. are what Giant, Safeway and Shoppers locally-based businesses out of existence, Ⅲ Take other measures to benefit the provide. These are the kind of retailers costing more jobs than it creates. Its low community. and employers we need more of. wages drive down the community’s eco- In addition, Local 400 and the “We’ve already seen a Safeway close nomic standing. New Walmarts also bur- Metropolitan Washington Council AFL- in Landover after a Walmart opened next den taxpayers by pocketing subsidies and CIO are urging the District of Columbia door,” McNutt said. “We can’t let this having Medicaid pay for their workers’ City Council to pass the Employment happen in Washington, D.C., or anywhere health care. Washington, D.C., needs a Stimulus Act, which would require that else.” Walmart like it needs another pothole.” In November, Walmart announced plans to open four 80,000 to 120,000 VICTORY IN LA PLATA square foot stores in Washington, D.C. Walmart has a store in La Plata, Md., but when the company wanted to move Residents, workers and businesspeople to a larger location, it ran into an unexpected roadblock: the people. want a good neighbor, not a company After Local 400 members from the area led the charge, the La Plata Town notorious for paying its workers sub- Council voted four to one to deny Walmart permission to move and expand. poverty wages and keeping them at part- Council members were particularly outraged that Walmart intended to keep pos- time status, providing few benefits, and session of its current store to block competitors from occupying the location. facing numerous lawsuits alleging dis- “I commend the Council members for standing up to the world’s largest retail- crimination and labor law violations. They er in order to stand up for good jobs, local businesses and healthy competition,” are especially outraged that Walmart may said Local 400 President Tom McNutt. “Special thanks go to Charles County seek local tax subsidies. Commissioner Reuben Collins for his strong support.” The Coalition for Living Wages and

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 11 The holiday season is a time for giving. It’s also a time to support the causes Holiclosest to our hearts. By sdhoppingaunioyn, you canTimdo both at the same timee. isUn Local 400 represents employees at a wide Bowie (Bowie Town Center), Gaithersburg variety of retailers capable of fulfilling your hol- (Lakeforest Mall), Hyattsville (Prince George’s iday needs with the highest quality service and Plaza), Laurel, Marlow Heights, Waldorf at affordable prices. By patronizing these (Charles Towne Center) and Wheaton, Md. stores, you will help strengthen our union and Ⅲ Bloomingdale’s Department Store in Chevy support your brothers and sisters. Chase, Md. “It’s a simple principle that should apply all For holiday food — whether it’s catered par- year long: union members should buy union ties, pre-prepared dishes or ingredients for whenever possible,” said Local 400 President home-cooked feasts: Tom McNutt. “Our union must grow to have the greatest positive impact on our members’ lives Ⅲ Giant in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, and on working families overall. For that to D.C. happen, our employers must grow, too. The Ⅲ Kroger in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, more we shop from them, the better they do and Kentucky and Tennessee. the better our members do. Ⅲ Safeway in Maryland, Virginia and “During the holiday season, this principle is Washington, D.C. more important than ever,” McNutt said. Ⅲ “Retailers need the business and our members Shoppers Food & Pharmacy in Maryland, need the income during these critical weeks to Virginia and Washington, D.C. ensure a good year. The economy needs spend- Ⅲ Super Fresh in Maryland and Washington, ing that supports middle-class, living wage D.C. jobs. When we all stick together and support Ⅲ Magruders in Maryland and Virginia Local 400 member Cohen one another, every one of us comes out ahead.” Simpson has worked at Ⅲ Farmers Market in Washington, D.C. Hecht’s and now Macy’s Local 400 members are encouraged to shop Ⅲ Bestway in Silver Spring, Md. for seven years. He said at these stores employing their sisters and you can’t do better than brothers: Ⅲ Bethesda Co-op in Bethesda, Md. buying shirts and ties for When at the supermarket, look for Tyson’s the holidays. “They’re For high-quality, name-brand clothing and always a good choice,” he other gift items: Chicken and Boar’s Head meat products. said. “Just come by and Ⅲ Syms in Rockville, Md., Falls Church, Va., Local 400 represents workers at these compa- we’ll get them matched.” Simpson believes Local and Manassas, Va. ny’s facilities. In addition, you can order your groceries 400 members should shop Ⅲ Filene’s Basement in Washington, D.C., union, “because you’ve online at Peapod.com and have them delivered and Rockville, Md. got the union backing you right to your home. up. If you want to keep the Ⅲ Brooks Brothers in Washington, D.C. Where you spend your money matters. By union, you have to support For holiday gifts of every kind: shopping at any of these stores, you’ll be getting the source that the union represents.” Ⅲ Macy’s Department Stores in Washington, great value for your dollar while also lifting up D.C., and Bethesda (Montgomery Mall), your fellow Local 400 members.

12 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 A seven-year Local 400 member, Tsiegereda Yimer works in Shiseido UnioCnosmetics aTt Macy’s in Bethiesda,mMd. e She suggests that holiday shoppers consider gift sets or the wide array of skin treatments and make-up that she sells. Members should patronize union stores because, “When we have a union, we have confidence,” she said. “The union supports our concerns and our rights. We have someone to listen to us.” Sydney Temple has worked at Syms’ Rockville, Md., store for the past 17 years, but he’s been a Local 400 member for 27 years, having worked at Raleigh’s before that. His store has a great selection of holiday gifts. “We have nice watches and a variety of gift packages, ranging from candies to small electronics like headphones,” he said. “If you’re shopping for a man, a nice sports jacket and pair of pants is always a good choice.” Local 400 members should shop union, “Because the workers are protected,” Temple said. “If you’re not union, management can do whatever they want with you.”

Lisa Stemcosky is a Local 400 member who has worked at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase, Md., for the past three years. Her holiday shopping recommendations include Allclad cookware, which is union-made in Pennsylvania, and votive candle holders, “a good all-around gift for unexpected occasions,” she said. “It’s always important for union members to support one another in good times and bad times,” Stemcosky said. “In this economy, it’s nice to have each other to lean on.”

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 13 Harris Honored by Virginia NAACP collaborative relationships with com- Recognizing her extraordi- Local 400’s LaVoris “Mikki” Harris is nary contributions to presented with the 2010 Leadership munity leaders, activists and organi- Award by Virginia State Conference zations throughout our area,” said workers’ rights and eco- NAACP Executive Director King Local 400 President Tom McNutt. nomic justice, the 2010 Salim Khalfani (at podium). “She is a hard worker, a dedicated Virginia State Conference professional, an exceptional strate- NAACP presented longtime gist, and a devoted friend to our members and countless community Local 400 staff member LaVoris allies. She has more than earned this “Mikki” Harris with its 2010 outstanding award.” Leadership Award at its 75th “Mikki Harris is always on the Annual State Convention in front line,” said King Salim Khalfani, executive director of the Virginia Roanoke. State Conference NAACP. “She has Harris was cited for her close work integrity. She says what she means with the Virginia NAACP in developing and means what she says. She fights strategies to remove barriers to employ- without fear.” ment, to win fair wages, and to improve working conditions at the Harris served as Local 400’s director of community growth Smithfield Packing Plant in North Carolina, the Ashland Nursing strategies for many years. She recently left that position to become and Rehabilitation Center, and other nursing homes in Virginia. director of membership activism for Local 400. Longtime represen- “Mikki Harris is more responsible than anyone for our strong, tative Diettra Lucas succeeds her. Local 400MemberWinsAshcraft Scholarship Dillon Gustafson, a Local 400 mem- and senior years, serving as a courtesy ber from Waldorf, Md., won the Lee C. clerk, bagger and then cashier. Ashcraft Memorial Scholarship for the “Juggling all my work was not easy at 2010-2011 school year. The $5,000 times,” Gustafson said, “but I didn’t try scholarship is provided by the law firm to do more than I could handle. My par- of Ashcraft & Gerel, LLP, in memory of ents helped keep me focused on the the firm’s late founder, to help area important things and I was able to union members and their families with manage everything.” the high cost of education. Today, Gustafson attends East Gustafson graduated from North Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., Point High School last June, where he where he is considering majoring in was a member of the varsity soccer biology or criminal justice. He plans to and indoor track teams, the Key Club, commission in the Air Force as an officer Skills USA, and Law Enforcement after graduation. Explorers Post 1658. He won the Local 400 Secretary-Treasurer Mark “When I learned that I had received Criminal Justice Student of the Year Federici (left) presents the Lee C. Ashcraft the scholarship,” Gustafson said, “I was Award, was named a Minds in Motion Memorial Scholarship to Local 400 member very surprised and was not expecting it Dillon Gustafson. Scholar Athlete and made the because I knew it was hard to get! Principal’s Honor Roll. between 16 and 23 hours a week at Once the shock settled, I was very excit- He did all of this while working Giant #339 in La Plata, Md., his junior ed and thankful that I got it.”

14 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Lynda Williams Retires FORTY YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO LOCAL 400 MEMBERS

“I’ll be happy to help, but I can only stay for two weeks.” the same page, everyone got along.” With these words, 17-year-old Lynda Williams took a temporary job in Williams has been married for 33 years to Carl Williams, a Local 400 mem- Local 400’s Service Department right after graduating high school, with ber who works as a meat cutter at Giant. plans to go to the beach with her friends two weeks later. Somehow, 14 They have a daughter, Karlyn, who is days turned into 40 years, and in 2010, she retired having served as keeping her family’s union tradition going as a Local 400 staff member. Lynda administrative assistant to five presidents. “It’s funny how things happen Williams plans to do some traveling, and in life,” she said. enjoy life and her family in retirement. Planned or not, Williams was probably “Lynda was invaluable because she “Local 400 has been a huge and won- destined for service in the labor move- always put our members first,” McNutt derful part of my life,” Williams said. ment. She was born into a union family. said. “She was devoted to the core values “When I look back, I can’t imagine how Her father was a staff member for the of the labor movement. my life would have turned out without Retail Clerks International Union, prede- “I miss her,” McNutt said, “but the union. They were great to my family cessor to the UFCW, and he believed in because she mentored so many of our and I was always treated like family. No doing everything union. “When I was a staff, we still feel her presence in the office matter what your job is, everyone’s kid, we drank Pepsi, not Coca Cola,” she and we’re so much better off for it. No one important. We all serve a vital purpose in recalled, “because Pepsi was union and worked harder and no one deserves a serving the membership. Coke wasn’t. We wouldn’t shop at Sears happier, more fulfilling retirement.” “Local 400 has a lot on its plate in because they wouldn’t give a working Williams was administrative assistant these changing times, but as always, I person a credit reference.” to past Local 400 Presidents Rex Clifford, know the union will be successful,” she Williams brought this same attitude to Ray Chilton, Thomas R. McNutt and Jim said. “I am a lucky person to have worked Local 400 and served as a mentor to Lowthers, and worked briefly for Thomas for such a great union. It’s been a won- countless staff. “I always said we should P. McNutt before her retirement. During derful experi- do things the union way,” Williams her tenure, she saw transformative ence.” explained. “Back in the days when staff changes in every area. smoked in the office, you only saw union- “We went from electric typewriters to made cigarettes on people’s desks and memory typewriters to computers,” she you never saw a foreign car in the parking noted. “When I started, we made five lot.You support your brothers and sisters.” carbon copies of every letter we wrote “I know the saying is that ‘no one is and used mimeographs and stencils to irreplaceable,’ but Lynda Williams is the churn out flyers. Now we’ve got color exception to that rule,” said Local 400 laser printers and we communicate President Tom McNutt. “No matter who through email and the Internet.” served in the president’s office, their jobs Williams saw the union’s membership were made so much easier by her profes- increase from 12,000 in 1970 to 38,000 sionalism, her calm, her organization and today, supported the hugely successful her dedication. She kept everything run- organizing campaign at Woodward & Lynda Williams ning smoothly and she made sure things Lothrop, and helped implement the his- got done on time and in the best possi- toric merger between the Retail Clerks ble way. Even more important, she and Amalgamated Meat Cutters that pro- brought everyone together, kept morale duced the UFCW. “Here at Local 400, high and helped our staff function as a everything about the merger was seam- dynamic team. less,” Williams said. “Everyone was on

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 15 Spotlight Paul Haymaker Jacqueline Edwards Head Grocery Clerk RN, Inpatient Case Manager Kroger #763, Charleston, W.Va. Kaiser Washington Hospital Sharon Jackson Center, Washington, D.C. Food Clerk Years in Union: 37 Safeway #1759, Sterling, Va. Years as Steward: 2

Family: Married with one child

Enjoys Most about Job: Merchandising and customers

Enjoys Most about Being a Steward: Helping and informing others “ The union promotes Favorite Place on Earth: Beach idarity “ The union stops change and Sol ent from treating amongst employees.” managem d you any way they want an getting away with it.” Years in Union: 7 Years as Steward: 1 Years in Union: 9 Enjoys Most about Job: Years as Steward: 6 months Interaction with patients

Enjoys Most about Being a Enjoys Most about Being a Steward: Helping people Steward: Leadership potential “ Th e union provid Hobbies: Shopping, reading, going Hobbies: Shopping b es us with enefits and job secu on cruises Future Plans: To stay with Safeway rity.” Favorite Place on Earth: Cayman Favorite Place on Earth: Las Vegas Islands

16 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Kevin Freeman Liz Engelman Gary Massie Meat Cutter Cashier Grocery Clerk Shoppers #2339, Giant #161, Rockville, Md. Kroger #403, Waynesboro, Va. New Carrollton, Md. Years in Union: 38 Years in Union: 23 Years as Steward: 11 Years as Steward: 9 months Family: Married with one daughter Family: Married Enjoys Most about Job: Meeting Enjoys Most about Being a other people Steward: Helping people Hobbies: Fishing and hunting Hobbies: Bowling “ The union main Favorite Place on Earth: Pigeon TR tains a Favorite Place on Earth: Home UE living wage for the Forge, Tennessee middle class.” Years in Union: 19

Years as Steward: 4

Family: Married with three boys

Enjoys Most about Job: Being part of a community—seeing our regular customers every day ives us “ The union c Enjoys Most about Being a “ The union g ares wer for employees and Steward: Introducing new mem- bargaining po listens to them. bers to the benefits of union mem- and benefits.” ” bership

Future Plans: Using my teaching degree to work in environmental protection/conservation

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 17 2010 A R E A M E E T I N G S S C H E D U L E * September Thursday, February 3 Tuesday, March 1 Monday, April 4 CHARLOTTESVILLE BRISTOL CHARLOTTESVILLE Fiscal Report Holiday Inn Holiday Inn Holiday Inn 1 BALANCE IN CASH ACCOUNT 1901 Emmett Street Exit 7 off of Interstate 81 1901 Emmett Street AT BEGINNING OF MONTH 1,553,598 Charlottesville, VA 22901 3005 Linden Dr. Charlottesville, VA 22901 (434) 977-7700 Bristol, VA 24202 (434) 977-7700 2 RECEIPTS (from all sources): (276) 466-4100 DUES 1,547,703 Wednesday, February 23 Monday, April 11 MISCELLANEOUS 3,925 PARKERSBURG Thursday, March 3 BECKLEY Comfort Suites DANVILLE Holiday Inn 3 TOTAL RECEIPTS 1,551,627 167 Elizabeth Pike Holiday Inn Express 114 Dry Hill Road Mineral Wells, WV 26150 2121 Riverside Dr Beckley, WV 25801 4 TOTAL OF LINES 1 AND 3 3,105,226 (304) 489-9600 Danville, VA 24540 (304) 252-2250 (434) 793-4000 5 DISBURSEMENTS Monday, February 28 for current months 1,624,176 BLUEFIELD Monday, March 21 Quality Hotel CLARKSBURG 6 CASH ACCOUNT BALANCE & Conference Center Holiday Inn at the end of current month 1,481,050 Route 460 Bypass 100 Lodgeville Road 3350 Big Laurel Hwy Bridgeport, WV 26330 7 BALANCE AT END OF MONTH Bluefield, WV 24701 (304) 842-5411 as shown on Bank Statement 1,551,312 (304) 325-6170 * All meetings are at 6 p.m. 8 DEPOSIT IN TRANSIT 0 9 TOTAL OF LINES 7 AND 8 1,551,312 2010 Q UA RT E R LY M E E T I N G S S C H E D U L E * 10 LESS: Checks included Tuesday, Feb. 1 Tuesday, February 22 Tuesday, April 5 in item 5 not returned NORFOLK CHARLESTON RICHMOND with bank statement 70,262 Norfolk Office Holiday Inn – Civic Center Holiday Inn-Central 3620 Tidewater Drive 100 Civic Center 3207 North Boulevard 11 BALANCE Norfolk, VA 23509 Charleston, WV 25301 Richmond, VA 23230 (Should agree with Line 6) 1,481,050 (304) 345-0600 (804) 359-9441 Wednesday, February 2 12 PETTY CASH FUND 750 RICHMOND Wednesday, March 2 Wednesday, April 6 Holiday Inn-Central ROANOKE NORFOLK 13 TOTAL OF ALL LOCAL UNION’S 3207 North Boulevard Holiday Inn Norfolk Office SAVINGS ACCOUNTS at the end of month 2,371,876 Richmond, VA 23230 450 Litchell Road 3620 Tidewater Drive (804) 359-9441 Salem, VA 24153 Norfolk, VA 23509 14 DEPRECIATED VALUE OF (540) 389-2424 Real Estate, Furniture, Tuesday, March 15 Equipment, Automobiles, etc. 655,388 LANDOVER 15 OTHER ACCOUNTS Local 400 Headquarters OR INVESTMENTS 4301 Garden City Drive (Bond, Stocks, Credit Union, Landover, MD 20785 Building Funds, etc.) 326,762 (301) 459-3400 * All meetings are at 6 p.m.

16 LESS: LIABILITIES (other than Rent, Utilities, Withholding and Per Capita Tax) 1,293,204 A L L I N T H E F A M I L Y

17 TOTAL WORTH OF LOCAL UNION (Totals of lines 11, 12, 13, Get Well Condolences 14, and 15 minus line 16 3,542,621 John Brown, UFCW Local 400 retiree Heith Fenner, Local 400 Staff, loss of cousin.

18 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Attention: Employees of Giant, Safeway & Super*Fresh 2011 Annual Scholarship Awards f you are working for one of the companies listed above, under the provisions of your con- Itract, you and your dependents may be eligible for the FELRA and UFCW Health and Welfare Fund Scholarship Program. Entry Deadline: December 31, 2010 Just fill out the preliminary application below and mail it to the Fund office postmarked by December 31, 2010. In January of 2011, eligible applicants will be sent additional information from the Fund.

Cut and mail

Employee Information SCHOLARSHIP Name ______Social Security Number ______FUND Employer ______he FELRA and UFCW Health and Welfare Fund Home Address ______Texpects to be awarding scholarships to a select City, State, Zip Code ______number of eligible participants and their dependents Home Phone Number______who will be attending college or a university as full-time E-Mail Address ______students in the fall of 2011. Participants and their Applicant’s Information dependents are eligible to apply for a scholarship award Name ______if the participant completes at least one year of Service Social Security Number ______as of December 31, 2010, and is actively employed as of Date of Birth ______that date. In addition, dependent applicants must be (If Dependent of Employee) under the age of 24 on December 31, 2010. Mail applications to: PRELIMINARY Applicants who submit preliminary applications and APPLICATIONS UFCW & FELRA meet the initial scholarship award requirements will be MUST BE POSTMARKED Scholarship Program mailed the full application form in early January of BY DECEMBER 31, 2010. 911 Ridgebrook Rd. 2011. Sparks, Md. 21152-9451

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 19 L O C A L 4 0 0 R E T I R E E S Giant Edward Brown, Upper Marlboro, Md., 39 years Allen L Gibbins, Rockville, Md., 41 years Betty T Bailey, Alexandria, Va., 40 years Leroy C Brown, Washington, D.C., 39 years Jo P Goff, LaPlata, Md., 31 years David D Cologne, Gainesville, Va., 30 years Lewis A Bullock, Capitol Heights, Md., 33 years Vertice J Gore II, Rockville, Md., 33 years Albert J Gonzalez, Culpeper, Va., 39 years Michelle L Bunch-Grizzle, Royston, Ga., Patricia A Gorrell, Dunkirk, Md., 33 years Ronald W Henrion, Hughesville, Md., 30 years 31 years Anna Gorski, Bowie, Md., 27 years Allen L Jones Jr, Stafford, Va., 30 years Gregory Cabbagestalk, Lanham, Md., 32 years George E Grant Jr, White Post, Va., 38 years Nora L Jones, Capitol Heights, Md., 40 years Joseph W Callaway, Fredericksburg, Va., Adra A Gray, Flemington, W.Va., 12 years 32 years James B Proctor, Alexandria, Va., 23 years Charlene L Greene, Solomons, Md., 31 years Ellis Campbell, Alexandria, Va., 44 years Ysabel M Savov, Arlington, Va., 22 years Lawrence A Gross, Capitol Heights, Md., John W Carroll, Bowie, Md., 43 years Margie E Shifflett, Alexandria, Va., 25 years 40 years Matthew P Carroll Jr, Manassas, Va., 41 years Raymond K Simkin, Alexandria, Va., 14 years James A Gunn, Temple Hills, Md., 38 years Charles D Carter, McLean, Va., 33 years Michael L Simms, Lusby, Md., 20 years Richard T Harrell Jr, Lanham, Md., 36 years Louis C Carter, Alexandria, Va., 33 years Brian K Smith, Upper Marlboro, Md., 32 years Raymond L Hartzell, Germantown, Md., 40 Bertin M Cassou Jr, Silver Spring, Md., 33 years Wendell Tuckson Jr, Gaithersburg, Md., 8 years years Charles L Haun, Fredericksburg, Md., 41 years Andrew P Velasco, Sterling, Va., 38 years Earle S Chaplin, Berwyn Heights, Md., 40 years John A Haybok, Mount Airy, 42 years Billy J Warner, Owings, Md., 30 years Walter V Cherry, Centreville, Va., 33 years Sharon E Higgs, Edgewater, Md., 41 years Kroger Janice F Childers, Burke, Va., 30 years Kenneth Hilliard, Ft. Washington, Md., 44 years Vivian P Greene, Evington, Va., 5 years Queen E Claiborne, Washington, D.C., 29 years Vincent J Hilliard Jr, Fredericksburg, Va., Stanley E Clausen Jr, Spotsylvania, Va., 40 years 30 years Safeway Glenn R Clawson, Falls Church, Va., 31 years Cynthia L Holder, Waldorf, Md., 30 years Abilio J Acosta, Woodbridge, Va., 40 years Linda Cole, Middletown, Md., 16 years Kitty L Hoyle, Germantown, Md., 39 years Tyrone L Adams, Fredericksburg, Va., 33 years Charles E Coles, Manassas, Va., 38 years Joseph A Hungerford, Hollywood, Md., 40 years Vincent E Adams Sr, Glenn Dale, Md., 32 years Linda A Conley, Rockville, Md., 35 years Vernell E Jackson, Ruther Glen, Va., 39 years Ronald W Alexander, Waldorf, Md., 39 years Wayne L Conley, Ranson, W.Va., 40 years Wayne P Jenkins, King George, Va., 32 years Ray E Andrews, Strasburg, Va., 38 years James E Cornwell, Annandale, Va., 37 years Marsha A Jinnette, Lusby, Md., 35 years Stanley A Anstead, Upper Marlboro, Md., Patricia E Cox, Forestville, Md., 32 years Cynthia R Johnson, Cheltenham, Md., 32 years 31 years Edward L Cunningham, Washington, D.C., Thelma E Johnson, Mechanicsville, Md., 35 years Gaithersburg, Md., 33 years Michael J Ashley, 31 years Emma T Jones, Landover, Md., 41 years Martha A Atkins, Orange, Va., 30 years Ralph M Custer, Manassas, Va., 37 years Timothy T Kapinos, Ellicott City, Md., 36 years Wildman D Austin, Lovettsville, Va., 44 years Rickie M Davis, Manassas, Va., 39 years Robert B Kittredge, East Berlin, Pa., 44 years Edna M Ball, Advance, N.C., 32 years Timothy T Day, Bethesda, Md., 33 years Pamela S Lafon, Mechanicsville, Md., 33 years Judy K Ball, Burke, Va., 29 years Anna D Dean, Falls Church, Va., 3 years John C Lambert, Gaithersburg, Md., 38 years Archie G Barker, Woodbridge, Va., 44 years Michael C Dephillip, Great Mills, Md., 37 years Paul E Lanham Sr, Upper Marlboro, Md., 44 years Chiquita M Benson, Clinton, Md., 37 years Juanita Dickens, Takoma Park, Md., 38 years Wilmer M Lansdowne, Gainesville, Va., 42 years Williams G Betzler, Herndon, Va., 33 years Susan K Dudding, Annandale, Va., 25 years Tracy A Layaou, Monrovia, Md., 32 years Roscoe E Birckett, Temple Hills, Md., 29 years Gilbert T Duck, Laurel, Md., 41 years Patsy L Leake, Springfield, Va., 36 years James Bland, Winchester, Va., 37 years Linda M Dyer, Lusby, Md., 40 years Maybelle Lee, Silver Spring, Md., 35 years Willie A Boothes, Hyattsville, Md., 42 years Arvie L Earp, Harwood, Md., 41 years Robert M Lee, Waldorf, Md., 46 years George E Boswell Jr, California, Md., 40 years David W Ernest Sr, New Windsor, Md., 38 years Theo B Lee, Clarksburg, Md., 39 years Patrick D Bowen, Prince Frederick, Md., 37 years Philip A Estep, Strasburg, Va., 39 years Gary A Lewis Sr, Bel Alton, Md., 43 years Hayes E Bowling Jr, Colmar Manor, Md., 36 years Catherine M Facchina, Ijamsville, Md., 30 years Marilyn Z Lewis, Glen Burnie, Md., 22 years Valentino Bozzelli, Brinklow, Md., 40 years Vincent S Ferrara, Lusby, Md., 38 years Sharon D Lewis, Upper Marlboro, Md., 27 years Michael J Bramhall, Adelphi, Md., 35 years Harvey W Flynn, Purcellville, Va., 33 years Barbara L Lineweaver, Woodstock, Va., 24 years David R Braziel, Temple Hills, Md., 39 years Ronnie L Fouche Sr, Eldersburg, Md., 39 years Michael F Lineweaver, Woodstock, Va., 35 years Geoffrey D Brooks, Greenbelt, Md., 30 years Sherman L Fox, Waldorf, Md., 12 years Michael E Looney, Waldorf, Md., 35 years Carrie L Brown, Forestville, Md., 33 years Jerry M Frazier, Manassas, Va., 33 years Louise G Lucase, Frederick, Md., 40 years Claudia M Brown, Upper Marlboro, Md., 38 years Jose Garcia, North Potomac, Md., 38 years ( Continued on page 22)

20 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 Attention: Employees of Shoppers Food & Pharmacy 2011Annual Scholarship Awards f you work for the company listed above, under the provisions of your contract, you and Iyour dependents may be eligible for the Scholarship Fund Program. Entry Deadline: December 31, 2010 Just fill out the preliminary application below and mail it to the Fund office postmarked by December 31, 2010. In January of 2011, eligible applicants will be sent additional information from the Fund.

Cut and mail

Employee Information SCHOLARSHIP Name ______Social Security Number ______FUND Employer ______Home Address ______he Scholarship Fund expects to be awarding schol- City, State, Zip Code ______Tarships to a select number of eligible participants Home Phone Number______and their dependents who will be attending college or a E-Mail Address ______university as full-time students in the fall of 2011. Participants and their dependents are eligible to apply Applicant’s Information for a scholarship award if the participant completes at Name ______least one year of Service as of December 31, 2010, and Social Security Number ______is actively employed as of that date. In addition, Date of Birth ______dependent applicants must be under the age of 24 on (If Dependent of Employee) December 31, 2010. Mail applications to: PRELIMINARY Applicants who submit preliminary applications and APPLICATIONS Fund Office meet the initial scholarship award requirements will be MUST BE POSTMARKED Scholarship Program mailed the full application form in early January of BY DECEMBER 31, 2010. 911 Ridgebrook Rd. 2011. Sparks, Md. 21152-9451

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 21 L O C A L 4 0 0 R E T I R E E S Continued from page 20

Daisy M Luther, Washington, D.C., 33 years Derrick A Raikes, Baltimore, Md., 31 years Steven Thomas, Upper Marlboro, Md., 31 years John J Lycette, Silver Spring, Md., 26 years James W Ray, Washington, DC, 34 years Royce R Tivnan, Waldorf, Md., 38 years Roberta D Lyon, Warrenton, Va., 33 years Mary J Reese, Stafford, Va., 30 years Earl L Tomblin Jr, Berryville, Va., 32 years Karen M Mallinoff, Bowie, Md., 31 years Lonnie N Richardson, Lanham-Seabrook, Md., Aloysius Van Tongeren, Arlington, Va., 37 years Karen B Mason, Washington, D.C., 33 years 29 years Nick Triantos, Bethesda, Md., 35 years Veronica S McFarland, Alexandria, Va., 23 years Adrian S Robinson, Bowie, Md., 40 years Gary A Trussell, Winchester, Va., 40 years Barbara Z McIntyre, Oxon Hill, Md., 31 years Lurean M Robinson, Woodbridge, Va., 28 years Mabel W Twentey, Damascus, Md., 36 years Dorothy A McKinley, Laurel, Md., 34 years Willie L Samuels, Lanham, Md., 41 years Daniel B Umbaugh Jr, Purcellville, Va., 36 years Macieo T Melton Jr, Clinton, Md., 42 years Mark S Scaglione, New Market, Md., 36 years Carol J Updike, Alexandria, Va., 33 years Michael P Merriam, Rockville, Md., 30 years Debra D Schools, Annapolis, Md., 34 years Terence M Walsh, Silver Spring, Md., 37 years Michael W Miller, Martinsburg, W.Va., 40 years Michael W Sears, Centreville, Va., 37 years Michael C Wampler, Fairfax Station, Va., Roberta M Miller, Woodbridge, Va., 28 years Sharon L Sharpe, Woodbine, Md., 30 years 37 years Eugene E Mills, Leesburg, Va., 32 years Janet E Shipp, Spotsylvania, Va., 37 years Flozell Washington, District Heights, Md., 37 years Jaime Molinares, Alexandria, Va., 38 years Essie M Simpkins, Silver Spring, Md., 29 years Hattie L Washington, Fredericksburg, Va., Lynette T Monsegue, Silver Spring, Md., Bruce G Skinnard, Ft. Washington, Md., 29 years 33 years 37 years Ruth M Slaght, Annandale, Va., 38 years Robert E Weaver, Alexandria, Va., 40 years Margaret R Monroe, Fredericksburg, Va., Coleman A Smith Jr, Springfield, Va., 32 years Vida F Weeks, Culpeper, Va., 32 years 35 years Victor E Smith, Gaithersburg, Md., 40 years William M Willard, Myersville, Md., 40 years Robert P Morris, Bethany Beach, Del., 34 years David M Snyder, Chesapeake Beach, Md., Raymond Motley, Oxon Hill, Md., 42 years 32 years Frederick R Williams, Hagerstown, Md., 36 years Robert P Nardini, Alexandria, Va., 33 years Nancy L Soave, Stafford, Va., 47 years Maury A Williams Jr, Culpeper, Va., 30 years Oliver B Nedab, Washington, DC, 37 years Timothy A Sponaugle, Accokeek, Md., 34 years John E Wilson, Winchester, Va., 34 years Lydia B Padilla, Rockville, Md., 11 years Diane Stephens, Arlington, Va., 33 years James E Wilson, Ft. Washington, Md., 42 years Byung K Park, Alexandria, Va., 35 years Beverly V Stewart, Temple Hills, Md., 39 years Belmont V Worman, Midland, Va., 41 years Ruther Glen, Va., 31 years Leon H Pedone, Rockville, Md., 47 years Linda Stone, Dayton, Md., 34 years Debra K Wright, Ethel B Young, Woodbridge, Va., 35 years Carroll B Pegues, Alexandria, Va., 41 years Ralph E Strauss, Laurel, Md., 39 years Mary A Pendleton, Suitland, Md., 34 years Bruce N Strickland, Great Mills, Md., 46 years Shoppers Chester T Percosky Jr, White Plains, Md., 45 Cheryl R Swann, California, Md., 31 years Ruth A Bogie, Linden, Va., 24 years years Soo Wah Tang, Chevy Chase, Md., 36 years Bernard S Broderson, Bethesda, Md., 15 years Robert J Perrino, Arlington, Va., 44 years Jacqueline D Taylor, Upper Marlboro, Md., 37 Laocai Chen, Herndon, Va., 9 years William H Pierce, Forestville, Md., 34 years years Joann Clements, La Plata, Md., 30 years Tyrone E Porter, Bladensburg, Md., 32 years Daniel T Tehaan, New Market, Md., 40 years Leonard Shuler, Suitland, Md., 43 years

Have You Moved? Then Let Us Know! ¿Se ha mudado? ¡Entonces déjenos saber! Please fill in the information below. Por favor llene la información a continuación.

NAME ______NOMBRE______

NEW ADDRESS ______NUEVA DIRECCIÓN ______

CITY______CIUDAD ______

STATE ______ZIP ______ESTADO ______ZIP______

PHONE NO. ______COMPANY & STORE NO.______TELÉPHONO NO.______COMPAÑIA Y TIENDA NO.______Mail this information to: UFCW Local 400, 4301 Garden City Drive, Envíe esta información a: UFCW Local 400, 4301 Garden City Drive, Landover, Md. 20785. Landover, Md. 20785.

22 UNION LEADER DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 The Enemy Within

he greatest threat to our kets that employ our UFCW sisters and can empower themselves to improve their employers comes from…our brothers. lives and raise their economic standing, employers. Ahold, Supervalu and Safeway want the more likely it is that they will choose T As Local 400 works tena- to have their cake and eat it, too. They’re union representation. Step by step, store ciously to increase the union market share trying to have it both ways—the benefits by store, we can expand the union sector of the retail food industry, we are finding that come from the unmatched productiv- and shrink the unorganized sector. our greatest opposition comes from the ity of their unionized subsidiaries’ work- Second, every single UFCW Local non-union divisions of our very own ers, while also generating windfall Union representing workers at Ahold, employers. profits from the low wages and benefits Supervalu and Safeway must stand unit- Consider this: Giant-Landover is owned of workers at their non-union operations. ed in telling management that double- by the Dutch multina- The longer these breasting is unacceptable and that they tional firm Royal companies get to oper- will pay a terrible price for trying to drive Ahold NV. Another We must ate in a “double- the retail sector workforce out of the mid- Ahold subsidiary, breasted” way, the dle class. The unions representing these Giant-Carlisle, gener- keep organizing more likely it is companies’ workers in other countries, ally operates on a non- that they will shift especially those at Ahold, must join us in union basis. It owns tenaciously. resources away from this effort. Unions still represent the Martin’s, the non- the union side into majority of these employers’ workers. We union chain that is a major threat to their non-union subsidiaries. In essence, have leverage. If we act together to maxi- Kroger stores employing our members in the profits our members generate would mize it as part of a comprehensive, long- central and southern Virginia. subsidize the growth of the non-union term growth strategy, we will succeed. Similarly, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy part of their business. This strategy What’s not acceptable is to permit the is owned by Supervalu, which also owns would make us our own worst enemy. status quo to continue. That would be the non-union Farm Fresh chain that But we’re not going to let them get sowing the seeds of our own destruction. competes against our Kroger stores in away with it. The only way we survive—and thrive— the Tidewater area of Virginia. Here’s what we have to do: First, we is to grow our market share, because that They’re even joined by Safeway. One of must keep organizing tenaciously. The will expand our members’ power at the its subsidiaries is Genuardi’s, a non- more our volunteer activists talk with bargaining table, the ballot box and union chain with stores in New Jersey, workers at Martin’s, Farm Fresh and everywhere we operate. Pennsylvania and Delaware that is trying other non-union groceries about how col- Mark P. Federici to take business away from supermar- lective bargaining is the only way workers Secretary-Treasurer

DECEMBER 2010-JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2011 UNION LEADER 23 United Food and Commercial Nonprofit Org. Workers Local 400 U.S. Postage 4301 Garden City Drive PAID Landover, MD 20785 Hyattsville, MD Permit No. 4084

Change Service Requested

B A R G A I N I N G U P D A T E B Y W . C H R I S T I A N S A U T E R Ashland Nursing & Rehab Innovative Business Interiors 70 employees; New Employer New Employer; Negotiations in Progress Bestway Management System Services 45 employees; contract expired 6/30/10; New Employer; Negotiations in progress Negotiations in progress/contract extended Mayfair/Kilmarnock Boar’s Head Jarratt 32 employees; contract expires 12/5/10 431 employees; contract expires 2/22/11 Omega Protein Commodore 90 employees; contract expires 4/17/2011; 97 employees; contract expires 1/31/11 Negotiations in Progress Elizabeth Adam Crump Manor Randy Wright Printing 89 employees; contract expired 5/2/10; 5 employees; contract expired 7/31/10 Negotiations in progress/contract extended Smithsonian E.M.D. Sales 2 employees; contract expires 12/21/10; New Employer; Negotiations in Progress Negotiations in Progress Gino Morena Enterprises Syms Corporation (Aberdeen Proving Ground) 80 employees; expired 4/30/09; 12 employees; contract expired 6/4/10; Contract extended Negotiations in progress/contract extended (Ft. Meade Barber) Todd Enterprises 6 employees; contract expired 2/16/09; 20 employees; contract expired 2/14/10; Negotiations in progress/contract extended Negotiations in progress/contract extended Healthcare Services Group Tyson Foods (Elizabeth Adam Crump Manor) 750 employees; contract expired 11/6/10; 20 employees; contract expired 6/15/10; Ratified 3 year agreement Negotiations in progress/contract extended