Fall 2015 President’s Report: Standing s trong Also in this issue: • El Super back at bargaining table • AB 359: A victory for grocery workers • Scholarship winners announced Union Holiday Schedule: Contents nov. 26 & 27 offices Dec. 24 & 25 President’s Report Report Vacation Wavers / closed: Jan 1, 2016 3 Standing strong together 10 Raffle Aids Leukemia Research What’s Happening Politics Next Quarterly 4 Retirements, marriages, births 11 AB 359 signed into law Membership Meetings: El Super Update Union Rep Report 5 Back at the bargaining table 12 Show up to work on time! Wednesday, sept. 23, 2015 Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2015 Steward Profile Union Rep Report 6 Shannon Munro 13 Know company policy Meeting starts at 7 p.m. new Member meetings Members at Work Members at Work held at 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. 7 Stater Bros. 79, Riverside 14 Rite Aid, Menifee and Sun City UFcW Local 1167 Auditorium 855 W. san bernardino Ave. Solidarity at Rite Aid Trust Fund Scholarship Winners / bloomington, cA 92316 8 Strike vote, community support 15 Local 1167 Scholarship Winners ON THE COVER: Members from Rite Aid, Menifee DESERT EDGE Rick bruer editor New MeMbeR official quarterly publication of MAP Local 1167, United Food and Meetings commercial Workers international Union serving san bernardino, riverside and Here to help imperial counties, california. MeMbersHip AssistAnce progrAM Are you a new member of Headquarters: UFcW Local 1167? Has one of your 855 W. san bernardino Ave. If you have Health Management center bloomington, cA 92316 co-workers recently joined our union? problems with : any time, day or night, Mailing address: Alcohol, drugs, children 24 hours a day, get up to a $65 credit toward your initiation p.o. box 1167 & adolescents, family, seven days a week. bloomington, cA 92316 emotional issues, All calls are confidential. fee when you attend a new Member training Union offices are open gambling, marriage Meeting within six months of your hire date. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. and/or financial/legal. Food Division closed saturdays, sundays and holidays call (800) 461-9179 eligible active or retired call (909) 877-5000 for dates, business telephone: members can call the toll- Drug Division (909) 877-5000 locations and answers to any questions. free MAp number at the call (866) 268-2510 Toll-free telephone: (800) 698-UFcW Food and Meat Division insurance: Notice to all members: Your dues are now payable! (909) 877-1110 if you are one of the few members of the local who are not Yet signed up for dues checkoff: YoUr DUes Are noW DUe Drug & General Sales Division insurance: AnD pAYAbLe. iF YoUr DUes Are not pAiD on or beFore tHe First oF eVerY MontH, YoU WiLL AUtoMAticALLY sUs - (909) 877-2331 penD YoUrseLF. Telephone hours: 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. With dues checkoff, all future dues can be deducted automatically from your pay check. if you do not have an authorization form, call the local and one will be sent to you immediately. published by nonpayment or payment of the incorrect amount will automatically suspend you — a costly and inconvenient mistake. Although not required, the local, as a courtesy, normally sends billing notices by first-class mail to those not on dues checkoff. it is the 100% union shop member’s obligation to pay dues in a timely manner. not receiving a notice is not an excuse for failure to pay dues on time. www.ufcw1167.org Avoid suspension. Authorize dues checkoff today! 2 DESERT EDGE President’s Report RICK BRUER Standing strong with our members rite Aid workers reject company’s unfair demands, gain community support s this issue of Desert Edge Rite Aid insults our union phar - goes to press, we are in a macists, saying they underperform difficult round of negotia - compared to non-union pharmacists. Ations with representatives We strongly disagree. The profes - of Rite Aid Corporation. After many sionalism of Rite Aid’s staff pharma - months of bargaining, we still do not cists is unsurpassed. They provide have a deal we can recommend to our industry-leading service to their cus - members. tomers. Unfortunately, Rite Aid continues Rite Aid’s behavior shows how to insist on proposals that attack the management has little regard for its wages, hours and health care of clerks employees’ hard work and dedication. and pharmacy technicians. It is unfortunate that Rite Aid is mak - These proposals are designed to ing record profits but refuses to share weaken our union and undermine our its success with its employees who bargaining strength for future con - work hard to take care of the cus - tracts. tomers. RICK BRUER In July, our Rite Aid members President No one wants to go on strike, but voted overwhelmingly to reject these Rite Aid would be foolish to test our proposals while authorizing our one becomes absolutely necessary for resolve. union’s leadership to call a strike if negotiating a fair contract. continued on page 8 chain files for chapter 11 bankruptcy UFCW unions assist Haggen members hit by closures s Haggen Food & Pharmacy files for Chapter ment to ensure their members’ contractual rights, includ - 11 bankruptcy, UFCW local unions in Cali - ing seniority protections, are respected. fornia, Arizona, Oregon and Washington are In addition, the local unions are reaching out to other union A assisting members affected by the chain’s de - employers to find jobs for as many of the displaced members cision to close 27 “underperforming” as possible. Accordingly, Albertsons/Vons stores. has agreed to give laid-off union members Please call your So far, none of the closing stores are in Union Representative priority in hirings. For more information, areas served by UFCW Local 1167. if you have any questions please contact your Union Representative. While Haggen’s failures to adapt to its relating to Haggen’s store With news of Haggen’s Chapter 11 new competitive landscapes have been closures and bankruptcy. bankruptcy, the UFCW is working dili - widely reported, the tragic consequences gently to ensure that our members are pro - of management’s actions are being carried tected under the law. by good union members who served their employer with Again, please call your Union Representative if you competence and dedication. have any questions relating to Haggen’s store closures and UFCW leaders are meeting with Haggen’s manage - bankruptcy. — President Rick bruer Fall 2015 3 What’s Happening Daniel Huante worked for Alpha Beta, Albert - IN MeMoRIAM Just Married sons, Ralphs and Food 4 Less for 38 years. worked for Vons for 41 years. Anita Torrez Silvas , Ralphs, married Michael william Jost Alma Caldwell, a retired general merchandise Vasquez on April 25 in Las Vegas, where the Chris barron worked for Albertsons for 23 clerk formerly employed by sage’s, died on July years. Salvador Luna worked for Vons for 35 couple also honeymooned ... Noah Francis , 21 at the age of 92. she had been a continuous years. Ilyas Vaid worked for Ralphs for 18 Stater Bros., married Saira Francis on June 13 member since september 1963. in Crestline. The newlyweds honeymooned in years. Costa Rica. ... Food 4 Less employee, Kharla Congratulations to all of our new retirees! We Meza , married Steve Taroma on May 15 in El wish you many healthy, happy years ahead to Alma Clements, a retired meat cutter for - Centro. ... Ashtin Cidila and Karl Record , both enjoy your well earned retirements! merly employed by safeway, died on Aug. 3 at with Stater Bros., wed on April 11 in Temec - the age of 102. she had been a continuous ula. ... Dorine Carbajal , Stater Bros., married member since november 1952. Amanda Rohrer on March 27 in Riverside. Just born The couple honeymooned in Kona, Hawaii. Vons Meat Service Center, has a Victoria Dizinno, an affiliated member for - ... brandon Lee Kowalski , Stater Bros., married Jesus Diaz, Baudelia Aguiar on March 7 at the Harvest new daughter, Samantha, who was born on merly employed by Albertsons and stater bros., Christian Church in Riverside. The couple July 17, weighing 8 lbs. 8oz. ... Andrew Hath - died on June 24 at the age of 51. she had been honeymooned in Las Vegas. away , Stater Bros., is pleased to announce the a member since october 1988. birth of his daughter, Aubree, on July 2. Congratulations to all of our newlyweds! Aubree weighed 8 lbs. 11 oz. ... John MacDon - ald , Stater Bros., is a proud papa to Mackenzie Tyrone Guess, a drug clerk formerly em - Just Retired Riley. Mackenzie was born May 28, weighing ployed by rite Aid, died on July 16 at the age 7 lbs. 7 oz. ... Janae eisenhauer , Stater Bros., of 53. He had been a continuos member since The months of July, August and September and Darron blackwood , Stater Bros., welcomed July 2011. brought us several new retirees. Kenneth Conner Blackwood on May 16. She weighed bradley worked for Albertsons for 36 years. 10 lbs. 11 oz. ... , Stater Christofer McIntosh Sidney Hiemstra, a retired food clerk for - brien Johnson worked for Alpha Beta and Bros., is proud to announce the birth of War - Ralphs for 41 years. Denise Hartman worked ren Xavier, on July 6. Warren weighed 9 lbs. merly employed by Vons, died on Aug. 7 at the for Stater Bros. for 15 years. Alex Schwetz 4 oz. ... Darren espiritu , Vons, and Tasha Es - age of 76. He had been a continuous member worked for Vons for 29 years. Darold Fisk piritu welcomed Amelie Cambria Espiritu into since December 1982. worked for Ralphs for 47 years. Victoria Guz - the world on Dec. 1, 2014. Amelie weighed 7 man worked for Ralphs for 35 years.