Why Should I Take the COVID-19 Vaccine? New Contract at Lassonde
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Winter 2021 New contract at Lassonde Why should I take Pappas embers at Lassonde Pap - the COVID-19 vaccine? pas & Co. in Bridgeton, or your safety and the safety of and communities. N.J., ratified a new con - those around you, it is important The vaccine is well-researched and tract with improvements to get the COVID-19 vaccina - safe to receive. It works by introducing across the board. tion as soon as it is available. genetic material that trains the MThe three-year agreement includes Local 152 members in grocery immune system to neutralize the virus a substantial retro pay provision, Fstores, processing plants and health if it enters the body. Side effects from yearly wage increases, increased care facilities are at a higher risk for receiving the vaccine are usually premiums for higher-skilled positions, COVID-19 because of the work they resolved within two days and include increased sick days, paid steward perform, and those members should minor reactions such as fatigue, days and enhanced bereavement receive the vaccination as soon as headache and muscle pain. A very leave. possible to lower their chances of not small number of people may react (Please see page 2) only contracting the virus, but also allergically to the vaccine, so it is a bringing it home to their families Please see page 7 Also inside: President’s Report: Vaccine priority for America’s frontline workers STAY CONNECTED ! New contract at Lassonde Pappas UFCW Local 152 Unity (Continued from front page) contract language was updated for clarity. Official Publication of The negotiating committee was able The negotiating committee included United Food and Commercial to maintain zero employee cost share Local 152 Director of Collective Bar - Workers Local 152 for Tier 1 employees. Members in Tier 2 gaining Daniel Ross, Vice President either received a substantial reduction Carmine DelVicario, Director of Organ - EDITOR in their cost share or their current izing Chad Brooks, Chief Steward Brian String contribution frozen for the length of the Lance Winchester; Stewards Ronald agreement. Wolfe, Walt Allison, Francisco Rivera UNION H EADQUARTERS Members will also now have the and Christopher McDowell; and com - 3120 Fire Rd., Suite 201 ability to elect voluntary supplemental mittee members Carol Kasson, Harry Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 benefits through payroll deduction and Shields and Sean McDaniels. (888) JOIN-152 Vol. 17, Issue 1 ! UFCW Local 152 Unity N (ISSN: 1542-720X) is published quarterly by UFCW Local 152, O Grievances filed or resolved: I 3120 Fire Rd., Suite 201 2020 total Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 N U Periodicals postage paid at Trenton, NJ E 198 B POSTMASTER: Send address changes to UFCW Local 152 Unity O 3120 Fire Rd., Suite 201 T Back pay and benefits Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 S restored to members: Published by: Y 2020 total A P T I $121,072.57 2 Winter 2021 Local 152 Members at Work Apply for the Irv R. String Local 152 Scholarship! Applications are due by March 26, 2021. The Scholarship Fund will award $2,000 cash grants to eligible members or dependents of members who will be attending college full time this fall. Determination of winners will be made based on school records, SAT scores, personal activities and need. Selection will be made on the recommendation of an outside independent committee. Applications will NOT be accepted if not postmarked by Friday, March 26, 2021. To apply, call (888) 564-6152 or visit ufcwlocal152.org. Winter 2021 3 rocery industry news G By Jeff Metzger Changes at ShopRite ■ In this column, analyst Jeff Metzger looks at developments in the supermarket industry around the country. hopRite of Hunterdon County has opened its first micro-fulfillment center adjacent to the retailer’s high- volume unit in Flemington, N.J. The new facility is expected to increase capacity for “ShopRite from Home” orders and enhance the online shopping experience for Scustomers. The new micro-fulfillment center will assemble a portion Happy Retirement! of each online order before the order is completed at the store. Congratulations to Gary Ditzel , who retired from the seafood The technology is expected to ease pressure on in-store teams and deli departments at ShopRite in Manahawkin, N.J. He will by increasing online shopping capacity and allowing store miss the many customers he became friends with through the associates to focus on personally shopping fresh foods such as years. Pictured, from left: Seafood Manager and Shop Steward meat and produce for online orders. Michelle Scott, Ditzel and Local 152 Union Representative Customers can pick up their ShopRite from Home orders Mike Thompson. curbside and in-store or have them home delivered. This is the third micro-fulfillment center developed by Takeoff Technologies for Wakefern in the ShopRite system. The other two opened earlier this year in Egg Harbor, N.J. and Clifton, N.J. Keep your union up to date! Location closing in Maryland Village ShopRite will be closing its Silver Spring, Md., unit on Feb. 28, leaving Wakefern with only one store in Maryland To continue to receive important news (Timonium) and I’m wondering if the Sumas family is consid - and updates from Local 152, ering pulling out of a marketing area where its next closest visit ufcwlocal152.org and complete store is more than 100 miles away. Both the Silver Spring and the “Change of Address” form if you move. Lutherville stores were originally Super Fresh (A&P) units which were acquired at auction in 2011. Neither store per - formed poorly (Timonium’s volume was slightly higher) but From the Local 152 website, you can sales in no way resembled many of Village’s other stores that also update your address with the are primarily located in New Jersey. Health and Welfare Office and renew your voter registration. ■ Jeff Metzger’s “Taking Stock” column appears in Food World and Food Trade News . Union Organizing Incentive Program Would you like to earn some extra cash? Provide an organizing lead to Local 152 that results in a union election. Some involvement will be required. By getting involved, you are helping to make your union stronger and you have an opportunity to earn $1,000! For additional information, call or text Local 152 Director of Organizing Chad Brooks at (609) 670-8605. 4 Winter 2021 Get the facts from your union, not unreliable sources ou’ve heard it from President members who interact with the public String, you’ve heard it from me every day are facing stress because and you’ve heard it from your they don’t know if their next customer union rep: “Do not spread mis - will respect the advice of medical information.” experts and follow safety protocols. YThis is good advice to follow when Most of us have encountered individuals the union is negotiating a contract on who refuse to wear masks because they your behalf. We need a united front to have been duped by conspiracy theorists secure the best contract possible, and when and political extremists. lies and half-truths are floating around on We can do our part to reduce unnec - the work floor and in break rooms, it essary tensions by getting our facts from only serves to weaken and divide us. trusted sources, including Local 152’s It’s damaging enough when false - website and printed materials, such as hoods are spread throughout a grocery this publication, Unity. Whether you ecretary- store or processing plant. It gets even need accurate details about the S worse when they’ve spread unchecked COVID-19 vaccine or information on Treasurer’s across the entire country. the fight for hazard pay, you can get it That is the unfortunate situation from your union. Report we’re in now. Social media across all Social media like Facebook and By Anthony Benigno platforms are overrun with conspiracy Twitter have become the primary news theories containing misinformation and source for millions of Americans. This lies. The corporations that own these phenomenon has had some positive as - responsibility for published content. powerful platforms have been unable — pects, such as the inclusion of previ - To live in a truth-based society, we and, at times, unwilling — to confront ously neglected voices in the national must be vigilant when choosing our this problem as well as they should. conversation. But social media still has news sources and let the facts guide us much to learn from the old ways of through these uncertain times. In doing Reducing the tension gathering and disseminating news, such so, we will take better care of ourselves Falsehoods can be dangerous. Our as research, reliable sourcing and taking and each other. Winter 2021 5 FloMwembienr Cgur wtis iWtahtso nt hlooeks soupt foirr it his coworkers and parishioners he n Local 152 member “We’re going to come up with Curtis Watson clocks some alternatives and take them in to work at the Kraft to our plant manager,” he said. Heinz facility in “Dealing with babysitting is Dover, Del., he’s continuing a difficult for a single parent,” he Wfamily tradition. added, “and the extra hours can His mother, Mary Watson, was take a toll on your immune sys - one of the first workers at the tem. We’re finding new solutions processing plant when it opened so people can maintain their jobs in 1964. She was pregnant with and still maintain their health.” Curtis at the time. He remembers being taught ‘It’s a calling’ union values at home growing up, so he understood he needed to find When the stress of his job a union job for himself when it threatens to overwhelm him, was time.