UFCW Members Demanding Pro-Democracy Changes to Union Constitution
Pro-Democracy Amendments Up For Vote April 2023 at UFCW Convention in Las Vegas
UFCW Locals from around the nation are proposing a major overhaul of their Washington, DC-based union leadership. Through a package of pro-democracy 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. Together, these amendments would:
Increase UFCW's Organizing Power
UFCW has lost 100,000 members over the last 8 years, while other unions are growing. Other unions are investing in organizing essential workers at Amazon and Starbucks while UFCW falls behind. And food and retail workers are choosing instead to form their own independent unions instead of the UFCW. It’s time to increase UFCW’s power to organize essential workers!
VOTE YES ON:
Amendment 16: Requires that for every increase in funds that the international union collects from local unions, half of that money will go to local organizing campaigns through the Special Project Union Representatives (SPUR) program.
Amendment 17: Ensures that at least 20% of the International Union’s annual budget will be spent on organizing.
Increase UFCW Member's Ability to Strike to Win Better Wages
Striking is one of the most powerful tools that workers have. UFCW members demand the International Union support the right to strike by removing burdensome red tape, and stop making striking workers pay for their first two weeks of strike benefits.
Read more about UFCW's broken strike system.
VOTE YES ON:
Amendment 7: Removes requirement of getting approval to strike from the International President.
Amendment 8: Removes the requirement that an employer’s “final proposal” must be the basis for a strike sanction vote.
Amendment 9: Reduces strike sanction requirement from 2/3 majority to majority vote.
Amendment 10: Mandates that strike benefits begin on the first day of a strike, rather than the 8th day.
Amendment 11: Permits unrepresented workers who are on strike fighting for a first contract to receive strike benefits.
Democratize UFCW With One Member, One Vote
The right to vote is fundamental to a functional democracy, and unions must ultimately be accountable to rank-and-file membership.This encourages a transparent debate on union principles and solidarity. Major unions such as Teamsters and UAW have already shown how powerful one member one vote can be for workers, as well as many other unions.
Read more on busting the myths on one member one vote.
VOTE YES ON:
Amendment 5: All members are able to vote via mail for International officers
Create a UFCW Member-Controlled UFCW International Board
The nepotism of the current system at UFCW International means that D.C.-based staff executive board members vote for whatever their bosses want. Abuses of power can also be seen in runaway officer pay. Real checks and balances will put rank and file members back in charge of UFCW.
VOTE YES ON:
Amendment 1: Only active members who have served as a President or Secretary-Treasurer of a local union for at least 3 years are eligible to hold an office on the International Executive Committee (President, Secretary-Treasurer, Executive Vice Presidents).
Amendment 2: No more than 20% of International Vice Presidents may be paid International Union staff, instead of the current 50%.
Amendment 3: No paid International Union staff can serve as International Vice Presidents.
Amendment 4: Increases the number of International Vice Presidents from 50 to 65.
Amendment 12: Caps salaries for international local staff and officers to $250,000 and requires that the top 3 salaries for any local not exceed $650,000. These caps will be adjusted for inflation annually by a maximum of 5%.
Amendment 13:The President of each of the union’s constituency groups (such as OUTreach, United Latinos, Women’s Network, Minority Coalition) will automatically serve on the International Executive Board as an International Vice President.
Amendment 14: Removes the unilateral authority of the International to trustee a local union by requiring an arbitrator be appointed to make that determination.
Bring More UFCW Members' Voices to Convention Floor
The International Convention makes critical decisions that affect all rank-and-file members. But the current rules do not ensure they have equitable representation.
VOTE YES ON:
Amendment 6: Allows for full per capita roll call voting at Convention. This means that voting at the convention will be decided by tallying the votes of each individual delegate rather than delegations voting as a whole.
Amendment 15: Changes the formula for representation at the international convention by makes the distribution of delegates more equitable. Under the current formula, smaller locals get more delegates per member than larger locals. The new formula will not do away with this entirely, but reduce the gap in representation between smaller locals and larger locals.