Now More Than Ever
By Marv Russow, President

There has never been a better time to be in a union. An economy built on low gasoline prices is ending. Massive government and personal debt can no longer subsidize the economy as in the past. New technology is changing all aspects of retailing: the checkout lane, the backroom, the Internet, the warehouse and even transportation. Unemployment is growing, especially in the auto sector of Michigan’s economy. Potentially major shifts in the political alignment of our government are underway.

We are in a period of change and instability that is greater than any I have known in my many years as a union activist and leader. The reassuring news for UFCW 951 members is that while most workers face these changes alone, union members have each other. And we have an organization.

As a result we have been able to expand and improve our community service response to assist the growing number of members who are facing extraordinary challenges. We are making it easier and more effective for members to help members. We are continuing to improve the discount programs that stretch paychecks at a time when prices for necessities are increasing rapidly. We can and we do work with Meijer, Kroger and other employers to contain as best we can the never-ending health care cost pressures on our members.

As we demonstrated at our very successful lobby day in Lansing (see pgs 3 & 4), we are working more closely than ever with our brothers and sisters in UFCW local 876 to be a force to be reckoned with in Lansing. Even though our bi-partisan success at reforming the distribution of food stamps in Michigan is stalled by political maneuvering in Washington, we can be proud of our pioneering role. And we are continuing to press on this issue. We are also supporting legislation and actions that will make it easier to bring high quality grocery shopping to underserved areas such as Grand Rapids and Detroit. And we will be working from now until November to give UFCW members in Michigan the information you need to use your vote effectively in one of the most exciting and important elections any of us may ever see.

During times like these employers often try to leave workers in the dust. That’s what Marty Hill tried to do by shutting down a union Harding’s store in Plainwell. Non-union workers have no choice but to take it or leave it. Not our members. We are aggressively working with them to make the new store a union store. Our brothers and sisters at the Harding’s Plainwell store have the support of every UFCW 951 member.

Tough times? Yes. But the basic principle of a union remains true We are stronger together.

Every month in the “Show Your Union Pride” contest, two units from each region are selected and the first member seen at those units wearing a UFCW 951 button, pin, or badge holder on a random day wins a $25 gift card and a 951 t-shirt.

Here are the UFCW 951 members who showed their Union pride in the last few months and won: