Essential Voice
an Essential Workers for Democracy newspaper to share with your coworkers!
Issue #6 - Spring 2026
Politico: UFCW rank and file sue leadership in increasingly bitter dispute
Rank-and-file members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union International are suing their leadership over what they say is a lack of democratic representation on key issues like a major grocery merger and a decline in organizing expenditures
What’s “$30 + COLA”?
If you’re asking this, you’re probably either in conversation with us already or saw one of our shirts (which we’ll have at the LaborNotes Conference)!
Most grocery workers , and many other essential workers, start at a few bucks over min wage, which we all know isn’t enough to afford rent anywhere…
Jacobin: No Union Democracy, No Union Revitalization
Not too long ago, Chris Bohner wrote about democracy in labor leading to more militant unions, but then the UFCW International President got into a conversation with him about it, leading to his next piece
Labor Notes: Strikes And A Boycott Win A Better Deal from Macy’s
When workers think of fun, engaging, creative ways to mobilize, it's usually successful. But beyond a surprise strike, the Local also advocates for reform.
UFCW Members Demanding Pro-Democracy Changes to Union Constitution
UFCW Locals from around the nation are proposing a major overhaul of their Washington, DC-based union leadership. Through 17 different constitutional amendments, UFCW locals from Seattle to Denver to Los Angeles are demanding a vote on proposals to increase members' power and voices in their union.
Essential Workers Fighting For Union Democracy
To fight back against the agenda of corporate elites we need strong unions. To have strong unions, we need thousands of rank-and-file leaders and leadership that reflects the desires of workers.