Analysis: Is Member Power Working for Members?

The UFCW is 1.1 million members strong. That's a huge amount of POTENTIAL member power. Some call UFCW the Sleeping Giant: it's big but isn't flexing its power for members.

We want the International President to have and use the union’s big power to take on employers. Because member employers are giants, too, these days!

If members don't coordinate their bargaining, then they’re only using a tiny fraction of Member Power each time they go the bargaining table city by city. Obviously, this means local unions need to bargain together as one! Why would Kroger respect anyone if people aren’t respecting themselves by uniting within their own union? We've got the Member Power...let's use it!

Local unions need the freedom to coordinate with support from UFCW International.

The International President controls local unions by controlling board positions, organizing dollars, and International staff. This control keeps members' voices silent and makes a UFCW staff-empowered rather than member-empowered.

We want a powerful International President, but one that uses power for members. We call on our International President to join with us and use the power of the Sleeping Giant that is UFCW. Train locals to use their collective bargaining power together, AND support and encourage these efforts. Construct a strategy with local unions, so members can win big!