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Politics, Community & Organizing

May 8: Cast Your Vote in West Virginia Primary Election

May 04, 2018

On Tuesday, May 8, 2018, West Virginians will vote in an important statewide primary election. We must vote to change our current legislative leadership’s war on working families which has stifled workers’ voices, lowered wages, and made workplaces less safe.

It is vital that you vote in the election Tuesday, May 8, 2018. Your vote is a personal decision. As your union, it is our job to recommend candidates who share our values and will fight to make a better life for our union family. We have endorsed the following candidates for office because we believe they will fight to turn around the anti-worker, anti-union legislature in West Virginia.

Don’t know where to vote? You can look up your registration status and find your polling location by visiting  the WV Secretary of State website at this link: https://services.sos.wv.gov/Elections/Voter/FindMyPollingPlace

 

Candidates Endorsed by UFCW Local 400:

PARKERSBURG AREA

3rd SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
JAMES LEACH (D)

7TH  HOUSE DISTRICT:
LISSA LUCAS (D)

8TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
DAVID BLAND   (D)

9TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
JIM MARION (D)

10TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
ANDY DANIEL (D)
J.MORGAN LEACH (D)
HARRY DEITZLER (D)

12TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
MISSY MORRIS (D)

13TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
SCOTT BREWER (D)

14TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
BRIANNE SOLOMON (D)

 

BECKLEY AREA

6TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
CHARLES SAMMONS (D) 

10TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
STEPHEN BALDWIN (D)

26TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
ED EVANS (D)

27TH  HOUSE DISTRICT:
PHOEBE MEADOWS (D) 

28TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
JOSEPH ANDREW EVANS (D)
ANDRA LEE SHAW (D)

29TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
RICK MOYE (D)

30TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
MICK BATES (D) 

31ST HOUSE DISTRICT:
RICHARD SNUFFER (D)

32ND HOUSE DISTRICT:
MARGARET ANNE STAGGERS (D)
SELINA VICKERS (D)
LUKE LIVELY (D)

 

CLARKSBURG-MORGANTOWN-BUCKHANNON AREA

2ND SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
DENNY LONGWELL (D)

11TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
BILL HAMILTON (R)

12TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
MIKE ROMANO (D)

13TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
BOB BEACH   (D)

14TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
STEPHANIE ZUCKER (D)

5TH HOUSE  DISTRICT:
DAVE PETHTEL (D) 

6TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
T. CHRIS COMBS (D)

46TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
ROBERT STULTZ (D)

47TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
FRANK ED LARRY (D)

48TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
TIM MILEY (D)
RICHARD IAQUINTA (D)
ROBERT GARCIA (D)
DEREK MCINTYRE (D)

51ST HOUSE DISTRICT:
BARBARA FLEISCHAUER (D)
EVAN HANSON (D)
JOHN WILLIAMS (D)
DANIELLE WALKER (D)
RODNEY PYLES (D)

52ND HOUSE DISTRICT:
JUSTIN HOUGH(R)

53RD HOUSE DISTRICT:
CORY CHASE (D)

 

HUNTINGTON AREA

5TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
MIKE WOELFEL (D) 

6TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
CHARLES SAMMONS (D)    

7TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
RON STOLLINGS (D)

16TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
SEAN HORNBUCKLE (D)
MATT SPURLOCK (D)
VERA MILLER (R)

17TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
CHAD LOVEJOY(R)
MATTHEW ROHRBACH( D)

19TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
KEN HICKS (D)
ROBERT THOMPSON (D)

20TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
BARRY MARCUM (D)

21ST HOUSE DISTRICT:
PHYLIS WHITE (D)

22ND HOUSE DISTRICT:
GARY MCCALLISTER (D)
ZACK MAYNARD (R)

24TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
RALPH RODIGHIERO (D)
SUSAN PERRY (D)

 

CHARLESTON AREA

4TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
BRIAN PRIM (D)

8TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
MARK HUNT (D)

17TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT:
TERRELL ELLIS (D)

15TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
CASEY HORTON (D)

23RD HOUSE DISTRICT:
RODNEY MILLER (D)

33RD HOUSE DISTRICT:
DAVID A WALKER (D)

34TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
BRENT BOGG (D)

35TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
ANDREW BYRD (D)
RENATE PORE (D)
JAMES ROBINETTE (D)
DOUG SKAFF JR (D)

36TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
LARRY ROWE (D)
ANDREW ROBINSON (D)
AMANDA ESTEP-BURTON (D)

37TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
MIKE PUSHKINS (D)

38TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
TOM TULL (D)

39TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
DAVID “WOODY” HOLMES (D)

40TH HOUSE DISTRICT:
MELISSA HUFFMAN (D)

Kroger, Member Spotlight

Outspoken Kroger Shop Steward Stands Up for Her Coworkers

Apr 24, 2018

Courtney Meadows speaks to WVVA news during a #BetterKroger rally in October 2017.

Courtney Meadows speaks her mind—and for the past year, she’s been doing it to great effect.

A Local 400 member for the past seven years who works as lead file maintenance clerk at Kroger #805 in Beckley, W.Va., Courtney was asked to serve on the Contract Action Team during last year’s bargaining over a new contract. Her shop steward at the time said, “There’s your spitfire,” and that was an understatement.

“I won’t hesitate to tell a manager to stop being a jerk and start treating us with respect,” Courtney said. And she was just as outspoken when she went into other Kroger stores to inform and mobilize her sisters and brothers for the contract battle.

“I would ask folks to show up at our rallies and tell management that we’re not going to take any crappy offers,” she said. “We’ve got to get management’s attention.”

At the first rally, between 30 and 40 members attended. But by the last one, Courtney had tripled turnout to 90.

“I just tried to make sure we showed Kroger we’re better people and that we’re not going to stoop to their level of pettiness,” she said. “We kept everything peaceful and respectful, and we had the impact we needed.”

When members voted to ratify the new collective bargaining agreement with Kroger in West Virginia, Courtney was both relieved and proud. “I was very glad of what we accomplished,” she explained. “Like Mark [Federici] said, there’s never been and never will be a perfect contract. But for us to get the only Kroger contract not to lose any benefits and to get wage increases, that was huge. We stuck together, we fought together and we got what we needed.”

In the midst of the contract battle, Courtney became a shop steward at her store. “My rep told me, ‘you’ve earned your stripes,’” she said. In addition, Courtney was asked to join a member organizing drive at Kroger stores in the Richmond/Tidewater area, which took place over 12 days in December.

“This was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” Courtney said. “To come from an area with 100 percent membership and go into stores that had less than 50 percent because of Virginia’s ‘right to work’ law was an eye-opener. Some people didn’t know what a union was and others were scared. So I gave a crash course in union history, and I explained that Kroger can’t do a single thing to you for signing up—it’s your legal right.

“I also talked to them about our own bargaining experience in West Virginia,” she continued. “I went through how we got raises across the board, how we kept our health care the same and how even if the cost of the plan rises, Kroger will pay the difference. We even won the requirement that Kroger has to provide rubber boots for workers in the meat shop. And I explained the reason why we won these provisions is because we have 100 percent membership, and that’s how you can make the same gains here. That really grabbed their attention.

“So I think it was a huge accomplishment to get the applications we were able to get,” she said. “And I’d go back and do it again in a heartbeat.”

In January, Courtney traveled to Charleston to participate in Local 400’s and the West Virginia AFL-CIO’s Lobby Day.

A resident of Fairdale, W.Va., Courtney is looking forward to continuing to take on corporate greed through Local 400. “I’m tired of companies coming in and abusing their employees, and looking down on us because some of us don’t have a college education,” she said. “I’m tired of them making $2 billion in profits but only wanting to pay us just above minimum wage. I’m tired of [Kroger CEO] Rodney McMullen getting a $2 million dollar raise but only wanting to give us 25 cents an hour. And I want to see better working conditions, and no retaliation against people who file grievances.”

Courtney is equally focused on her job as a shop steward. “I talk to everyone and I tell them, ‘you cannot get in trouble for talking to me, they cannot say anything to you,’” she said. “Everything they say to me is confidential. And if they have a problem, I’m going to fight like hell to fix it.”

Her sisters and brothers at Kroger #805—and all Local 400 members—are fortunate to have this spitfire speaking her mind and fighting for them.

Member Spotlight, Politics, Community & Organizing

Congratulations to ABC Drawing Winner, Chelsea Thompson

Mar 05, 2018

Local 400 member Chelsea Thompson from Kroger #316 in Princeton, West Virginia is the most recent winner of our Active Ballot Club drawing! Congratulations, Chelsea!

All across the country, corporations and the ultra-wealthy are funneling unprecedented amounts of money into our political system. Their goal is to create an unbalanced and unfair economy where wages are as low as possible and profits replace respect for the workers that created them.

The UFCW Active Ballot Club (ABC) seeks to level the playing field. By bringing together thousands of workers, our political concerns can be amplified to a decibel that is impossible to ignore. ABC supports pro-worker candidates and incumbents from all political parties and is the prominent political action committee dedicated to the interests of UFCW members nationwide.

By joining ABC, active members are automatically entered to win a monthly drawing. Learn more about the UFCW Active Ballot Club and talk to your rep about signing up today!

Kroger, Member Spotlight

Kroger Associates Win Thousands of Dollars in Back Pay by Enforcing Union Contract

Feb 07, 2018

Ryan Kibble (right), a meatcutter at Kroger in Ripley, W.Va., was awarded $2,000 in back pay after the company was caught violating the seniority provisions of his union contract.

For Ryan Kibble, Chasity Moyers and more than a dozen other Kroger members in West Virginia and Ohio, justice has prevailed.

More than one year ago, they were denied promotions that rightfully should have been theirs due to the seniority provisions in their union contract.

“Seniority provisions are one of the most important protections in our union contracts,” explained Local 400 President Mark Federici. “By prioritizing the most senior employees for promotions and other benefits, seniority gives every worker the confidence of knowing that if you stick it out and pay your dues, then you will get ahead. It puts everyone on an even playing field and prevents managers from playing favorites and only promoting people they like.

“But, just like everything else in our contracts, the rules only protect us when we enforce them,” Federici added. “Ryan and Chasity did just that – and it paid off.”

Ryan Kibble was a full-time backup meat cutter at Kroger #708 in Ripley W.Va. In late 2016, he signed up for a backup customer service position at Kroger #799 in Belpre, Ohio, a move that would have cut his commute from his Parkersburg, W.Va. home from 45 minutes to just five minutes. However, the job was given to a part-time worker in violation of the contract. So Ryan filed a grievance.

“Kroger tried to pick and choose who they want,” Ryan said. “They claimed I had no skill for the position, but I had that job at a previous employer.”

After a lengthy back and forth, Ryan won his grievance in December and received $2,000 in back pay. While this victory gave him the right to take the backup customer service position, he had become a meat cutter at Kroger #799 in the midst of the grievance process and chose to stay in his current job.

“I was glad it was finally over,” he said. “And I was glad that Kroger finally had to pay for their mistake, which they need to do. You can’t set rules and then try to bend and break them whenever you want.”

Chasity Moyers had a similar experience. She was a full-time bakery clerk at Kroger #799 and signed up for a backup dairy position that opened up at her store. Someone else was given the job, and she soon realized she had more seniority than this person, so she also filed a grievance.

While her grievance was pending, the backup drug GM position came open at Kroger #799. “I signed up for that, too,” she said. “And I didn’t get that one either. So I had to file another grievance.”

A few months later, the backup drug GM position came open again and this time, she got it. But before she moved into that job, the head drug GM transferred and so Chasity leapfrogged to head drug GM.

Then, in December, she won her grievance and received nearly $1,200 in back pay.

“I was excited to win and receive the check,” she said. “To be honest, I had kind of forgotten about it because I was now in the job I wanted. But I’m really glad we enforced the contract.  Everybody has their own fair share in this company. This is a fair way to get a resolution out of something that didn’t work out, and I thank everybody who was involved.”

The Kroger West Virginia contract states that the company can award lead or department head jobs to individuals based on their fitness and ability, but when multiple candidates have similar qualifications, the person with the most seniority will receive the promotion. But in many cases, these guidelines were flouted, and the problem was not isolated to one store or one manager—it existed throughout the region. While most grievances have been resolved, some are still in process.

“Just as important as bargaining a contract is the need to enforce it,” said Local 400 President Mark P. Federici. “It’s very important not only for our representatives and shop stewards but for every member to know the contract’s terms and be vigilant about making sure they are followed. It’s our members’ activism that won justice in these cases—and sent a message to Kroger that we will hold the company accountable.”

Collective Bargaining News, Kroger

Local 400 Members Ratify New Contract With Zero Cuts

Nov 07, 2017

A team of Kroger store associates led negotiations for the new contract on behalf of UFCW Local 400.

New Contract Increases Pay While Maintaining Healthcare & Retirement Benefits

Today, Local 400 members voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new union contract at Kroger.

This contract has absolutely no cuts. We all know it is extremely rare in this day and age to win a contract without losing a single benefit. Even at a time when other retailers are slashing benefits, we didn’t give up a single thing. We successfully preserved our healthcare and retirement benefits while also increasing pay. And it couldn’t have happened without you.

Thank you to every one of you who took the time to join us at a rally, sign a petition, and take action for a fair contract. We cannot overstate how important your participation has been to our efforts. Thanks to all of us sticking together as a union, we successfully fought back against every cut the company proposed.

The new contract takes effect immediately and extends through August 29, 2020. Let’s continue to stand together, let’s continue to build our union, and let’s keep up the fight every day to get what we deserve.

In Solidarity,

The 2017 Kroger West Virginia Bargaining Committee: Wayne, Billy, Tami, Allen, & Victoria

 

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Collective Bargaining News, Kroger

Tentative Agreement Reached

Nov 03, 2017

Rallies Planned for Friday, November 3 Are CANCELED

Be There to Vote On Your Next Contract Monday, November 6

Thanks to all of you who took action for a fair contract. We are now prepared to unanimously recommend a new contract proposal that we believe is the best deal possible.

Thanks to this new development, we have CANCELED the rallies planned for Friday, November 3. Together, we took action to make our voices heard – and it worked. Thanks to all of us sticking together as a union, we were able to move the nation’s largest grocery chain to improve their proposal.

We will present the complete details of this latest offer to the entire membership at our contract meetings on Monday, November 6. As a member of Local 400, it is critical that you make every effort to attend one of these meetings to cast your vote on your next contract:

Kroger West Virginia Contract Meetings: Monday, November 6, 2017

9:00 a.m. Charleston Civic Center
200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston, WV 25301
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m. Nathan Goff Armory
5 Armory Rd, Clarksburg, WV 26301
Registration opens at 5:00 p.m.

Don’t forget your entry card! We have mailed out entry cards to all members under the Kroger West Virginia contract. Your entry card entitles you to immediate access to the meeting without signing in. If you did not receive your card in the mail, you simply need to register once you arrive at the meeting.

In Solidarity,

The 2017 Kroger West Virginia Bargaining Committee: Wayne, Billy, Tami, Allen, & Victoria

 

Sign Up for Text Alerts

As we negotiate our next union contract with Kroger, we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll get the latest updates immediately!

To sign up, just text WV to 698-329.

Your wireless provider’s message and data rates may apply – you may opt out any time by texting STOP to 698329.

 

Print the Flier (PDF)

 

 

Collective Bargaining News, Kroger, Take Action

Hundreds of Kroger Workers Hold Rallies for Fourth Week In A Row

Nov 03, 2017

Hundreds of Kroger workers held rallies at five Kroger stores this evening, marking the fourth straight week of actions calling on the grocery giant to negotiate a fair contract with 4,200 store associates in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio.

The workers called on Kroger to fully fund our health care benefits. Approximately 2,000 workers who rely on the health care benefits provided by our union contract with Kroger are at risk of losing their benefits if the company fails to adequately fund our health plan.

Take Action To Save Our Health Care!

Join us for our next day of action on Friday, November 3, from 4pm to 6pm at a Kroger store near you.

Please plan to join us at one of the locations listed below. (Please note the Morgantown location has changed to Clarksburg).

Ashland, KY
711 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Ashland, KY 41101

Belpre, OH
1008 Washington Blvd, Belpre, OH 45714

Beckley, WV
133 Beckley Crossing Shopping Ctr, Beckley, WV 25801

Charleston, WV
1100 Fledderjohn Rd, Charleston, WV 25314

Clarksburg, WV  **new location**
Kroger #773,198 Emily Dr, Clarksburg, WV 26301

 

Photo Gallery

 

Sign Up for Text Alerts

As we negotiate our next union contract with Kroger, we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll get the latest updates immediately!

To sign up, just text WV to 698-329.

Your wireless provider’s message and data rates may apply – you may opt out any time by texting STOP to 698329.

 

Collective Bargaining News, Kroger, Take Action

Kroger Wants To Put Your Healthcare at Risk!

Nov 02, 2017

DON’T TRUST KROGER WITH YOUR HEALTHCARE!

Kroger’s latest proposal is a disaster for our healthcare. Here are the facts:

  • Contract would expire in only 28 months
  • Your healthcare fund could be completely depleted in 28 months
  • Cost increases to retirees

Take action to save our healthcare! Join us on Friday, November 3 and let‘s show Kroger we will do whatever it takes save our healthcare.

Take Action to Save Our Healthcare!
Friday, November 3rd

All actions take place 4:00pm – 6:00pm at each of these stores:

Ashland, KY
711 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Ashland, KY 41101

Belpre, OH
1008 Washington Blvd, Belpre, OH 45714

Beckley, WV
133 Beckley Crossing Shopping Ctr, Beckley, WV 25801

Charleston, WV
1100 Fledderjohn Rd, Charleston, WV 25314

Clarksburg, WV  **new location**
Kroger #773,198 Emily Dr, Clarksburg, WV 26301
** Please note the Morgantown location has changed to Clarksburg **

 

Sign Up for Text Alerts

As we negotiate our next union contract with Kroger, we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll get the latest updates immediately!

To sign up, just text WV to 698-329.

Your wireless provider’s message and data rates may apply – you may opt out any time by texting STOP to 698329.

 

Print the Flier (PDF)

Collective Bargaining News, Kroger

November 6: Don’t Forget Your Entry Card!

Oct 31, 2017

We have mailed out entry cards to all members under the Kroger West Virginia contract. Your entry card entitles you to immediate access to the meeting without signing in.

 

On Monday, November 6, we will be holding contract meetings for all West Virginia Kroger members. Make a plan to attend one of these important meetings:

 

Kroger West Virginia Contract Meetings
Monday, November 6, 2017

9:00 a.m. Charleston Civic Center
200 Civic Center Drive, Charleston, WV 25301
Registration opens at 8:00 a.m.

6:00 p.m. Nathan Goff Armory
5 Armory Rd, Clarksburg, WV 26301
Registration opens at 5:00 p.m.

 

Don’t forget your entry card!

We have mailed out entry cards to all members under the Kroger West Virginia contract. Your entry card entitles you to immediate access to the meeting without signing in. If you did not receive your card in the mail, you will have to register once you arrive at the meeting.

 

Sign Up for Text Alerts

As we negotiate our next union contract with Kroger, we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll get the latest updates immediately!

To sign up, just text WV to 698-329.

Your wireless provider’s message and data rates may apply – you may opt out any time by texting STOP to 698329.

Collective Bargaining News, Kroger

Huge Turnout as Actions Expand Across the Region

Oct 27, 2017

Contract Negotiations Continuing Next Week

Hundreds gathered at stores across three states and the District of Columbia yesterday as our actions demanding a fair contract expanded with solidarity actions in Richmond, Lynchburg, and Washington, DC in addition to stores across the area. We continue to send Kroger a loud and clear message that we are willing to do whatever it takes for a fair contract.

At the bargaining table, we know that the solidarity and expanding actions are having an impact. As we continue to bargain next week, with our contract meeting approaching on November 6, it is more important than ever that we continue to stand strong and united for a fair deal. Additional union staff and members of your contract action team and bargaining committee will be in stores all weekend to give updates, answer questions, and enforce our contract. Continue to participate in all actions and activities and direct your families, friends, and neighbors to betterkroger.org for ways to show their support. We will remain united and strong and we will continue to keep you updated every step of the way.

 

Sign Up for Text Alerts

As we negotiate our next union contract with Kroger, we are committed to keeping you informed every step of the way. By signing up for text alerts, you’ll get the latest updates immediately!

To sign up, just text WV to 698-329.

Your wireless provider’s message and data rates may apply – you may opt out any time by texting STOP to 698329.

 

Print the Flier (PDF)