Summer 2014 Supermarket Negotiations: Standing strong together! Also in this issue: June 3 primary election endorsements Outlying area meetings scheduled Change status to ‘Available’ Union Memorial Day Contents offices May 26, 2014 will be Independence Day President’s Report Primary endorsements Stand together! Vote on June 3 closed July 4, 2014 3 10 on these Labor Day What’s Happening UFCW leader running for Senate days: Sept. 1, 2014 4 Retirements, marriages, births 11 Connie Leyva needs your support! Next Quarterly S-T’s Report Change status to ‘Available’ 5 Vote and make a difference 12 Form needed by July 18 Membership Meeting: Wednesday, June 25 Legislative Update Members at Work 6 UFCW members visit Capitol 13 Stater Bros. 170, Corona The meeting will start at 7 p.m. UFCW Local 1167 Auditorium 855 W. San Bernardino Ave. Steward Profile Union Rep Report Bloomington, CA 92316 7 Sheila Farley, Stater Bros. 170 14 Communication is essential www.ufcw1167.org Please see page 14 for a Annual Charity Golf Tournament Union Rep Report complete schedule of Raising money for cancer research Don’t use electronic devices at work meetings in outlying areas. 8 15 ON THE COVER: George Ocampo, Ralphs 715 DESERT EDGE Bill Lathrop Editor Official quarterly publication of New Local 1167, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union Member Serving San Bernardino, Riverside and Meetings Imperial Counties, California. Watch your mailbox! Headquarters: ...for important information from your Are you a new member of 855 W. San Bernardino Ave. UFCW Local 1167? health benefits Trust Fund. Bloomington, CA 92316 Has one of your co-workers Mailing address: recently joined our union? P.O. Box 1167 Got questions? Contact the Trust Fund (ext. 424): Get up to a $65 credit Bloomington, CA 92316 (714) 220-2297 • (562) 408-2715 • (877) 284-2320 toward your initiation fee Union offices are open www.scufcwfunds.com Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. when you attend a New Closed Saturdays, Sundays and holidays Member Training Meeting within six months of your hire date. Business telephone: (909) 877-5000 Notice to all members: Your dues are now payable! If you are one of the few members of the local who are NOT YET signed up for Call (909) 877-5000 Toll-free telephone: dues checkoff: YOUR DUES ARE NOW DUE AND PAYABLE. IF YOUR DUES ARE NOT if you have any questions. (800) 698-UFCW PAID ON OR BEFORE THE FIRST OF EVERY MONTH, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY SUS - Please see page 14 PEND YOURSELF. Food and Meat Division insurance: for complete list of (909) 877-1110 With dues checkoff, all future dues can be deducted automatically from your pay check. meetings scheduled. Drug & General Sales Division insurance: If you do not have an authorization form, call the local and one will be sent to you im - (909) 877-2331 mediately. Telephone hours: Nonpayment or payment of the incorrect amount will automatically suspend you — a For the record: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. costly and inconvenient mistake. Although not required, the local, as a courtesy, nor - Retiree Rock Hamm worked Published by mally sends billing notices by first-class mail to those not on dues checkoff. It is the for Albertsons, Alpha Beta, member’s obligation to pay dues in a timely manner. Not receiving a notice is not an FedMart and Gemco/Lucky excuse for failure to pay dues on time. 100% union shop for 35 years. Avoid suspension. Authorize dues checkoff today! 2 DESERT EDGE President’s Report BILL LATHROP Keep standing strong together! he members of UFCW Local 1167, especially those who work in the supermarket industry, are understandably curious about the status of our Always say positive things about contract negotiations with the corporations that T your union to your co-workers and own Albertsons, Ralphs and Vons. At this moment I can’t say much about the current process management. If a manager asks you because the two sides have agreed not to disclose such de - tails. But I can talk about the about your thoughts on negotiations, context of our discussions. The goal in these talks is a say ‘I stand with my union 100 percent! new contract to replace the one that expired on March 2. Joining our local union are Ralphs’ facility in Compton and Vons’ headquarters in Arca - our Southern California allies dia. in UFCW Locals 8-Golden Many of us remember an even more difficult bargaining State, 135, 324, 770, 1428 and ordeal in 2003 and 2004. That effort included a massive 1442. Parallel negotiations are labor dispute involving nearly 60,000 UFCW members who also taking place with Stater walked picket lines for 141 difficult days. The companies Bros. lost more than $2 billion before agreeing to a contract. As the talks continue, our We don’t expect our current negotiations will follow that members remain covered path, but nobody can guarantee they won’t. That’s why it is under the terms of the old important for all of our members to “Stand Together!” with contract, thanks to an each other and their union leadership. BILL LATHROP extension agree - This is the best way to convince the President ment signed by employers that it would be disastrous the unions to demand unfair concessions at the and the employers. Either side can cancel bargaining table. They won’t want this agreement after giving 72 hours no - to risk losing another $2 billion! tice. So please wear your “Stand In April, the unions and the compa - Together” buttons with pride as nies agreed to bring in a federal medi - you work in the stores. Always ator to facilitate the discussions, which say positive things about your have been slow and complicated. The union to your co-workers and corporations appear to be focused on management. If a manager asks controlling costs while the unions are you about your thoughts on the committed to protecting our members’ negotiations, say “I stand with my wages, benefits and working conditions. union 100 percent!” We don’t know how long this process will Don’t listen to rumors and certainly take. Our last contract, which was approved by the don’t spread them! If you want accurate in - members in September 2011, took nearly nine months to ne - formation, check with your Union Representative gotiate. Along the way, we asked for two strike votes — both and visit our website at www.ufcw1167.org or our Facebook of which passed overwhelmingly — and huge rallies took page, “UFCW Bloomington.” place in front of Albertsons’ distribution center in Fullerton, Now, more than ever, is the time to “Stand Together!” Summer 2014 3 What’s Happening MAUREEN McCABE IN MeMorIAM JUST ReTiRed Hernandez , Food 4 Less, has a new son, Anthony, born March 29 weighing 8 lbs. ... eugene Anguiano, a retired food clerk formerly employed by Alpha Beta, died on March 27 at the age The months of March, April, May and June , Stater Bros., is proud to an - Alex rodriguez of 77. He had been a member since July 1971. bring us several new retirees. Joseph Gutier - nounce the birth of Alessio Jesus, born rez worked for Stater Bros. for 34 years. April 13. Alessio weighed 8 lbs. 11oz. ... Irvin Boxman, a retired meat cutter formerly em - Martin Alvarez worked for Stater Bros. for Jose Alvarado , Ralphs, has a “beautiful and ployed by Gambrell’s, Our Meats and Moreno Mission, 37 years. Larry Apodaca worked for Albert - healthy baby girl.” Elizabet Daniela was died on Feb. 3 at the age of 93. He had been a mem - sons, Furrs and Lucky for 32 years. Jackie born Nov. 7, 2013 and weighed 5 lbs. 6oz. ber since March 1946. worked for Albertsons and Alpha ... Naomi McKeehan , Stater Bros., has “an - Bruccheri Gladys Cunningham, a retired food clerk formerly Beta for 27 years. Paul Cleary worked for Al - other little monkey”, Makaylie Maive, born employed by Alpha Beta, died on March 30 at the age bertsons and Lucky for 35 years. Penny March 28 weighing 7 lbs. 5oz. ... Lorraine of 92. She had been a member since May 1965. Coelho worked for Stater Bros. for 14 years. and Julio ortiz , Food 4 Less, have a new JoAnna Davis worked for Alpha Beta and son, Julio Maximino, born April 16 weigh - Troy Davids, a clerk's helper formerly employed by Ralphs for 36 years. Lois Towers worked for ing 9 lbs. Vons, died on April 25 at the age of 21. He had been Vons for 34 years. Matthew Godinho worked 6 oz. ... Benjamin Crisantos , Food 4 Less, a member since August 2013. welcomed Benjamin Jr., born Feb. 20. for Albertsons and Alpha Beta for 36 years. Abraham Diamond, a retired meat cutter formerly Carlos Gomez worked for Albertsons for 17 Benjamin weighed 6 lbs. 11oz. ... Laura employed by Lucky Stores, died on April 21, at the years. Jan Harriman worked for Stater Bros. Perez-Bermudez , Stater Bros., has new twin age of 78. He had been a member since January for 39 years. Kevin Johnson worked for Al - girls, Angelina Sonia and Angelica Sofia, 1968. bertsons and Lucky for 35 years. Thomas born March 11 weighing 5 lbs. 5 oz. and 6 Johnson Sr. worked for Ralphs for 36½ lbs. 1 oz. ... Crystal Hare , Stater Bros., wel - Kate Graeber, an affiliated member formerly em - years. robert Kryza worked for Albertsons comed her new baby Kaylee Anne Sam - ployed by Stater Bros., died on March 23 at the age of 62. She had been a member since December and Lucky for 37 years.