WWW.UFCW.ORGAugust 28, 2012 Volume 15, Issue 11

UFCW Locals Reach Out to Workers for Labor Rights Week UFCW Locals from cit ies across the country including Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Fran-cisco and Phoenix are reaching out to workers in their communities for Labor Rights Week. Labor Rights Week is a week-long, na-tionwide event which aims at informing all workers of their rights in the workplace. These rights include their rights to fair wages, safety, health, and respect on the job.

This year’s theme is “Promoting Labor Rights Is Everyone’s Responsibility,” and locals have joined with the consulates of Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mex-ico and others in activities and events throughout the week.

The event also offers resources to nonprofi t, statewide, and federal agencies such as SIREN, OSHA, Department of Equal Employment Opportunity & Commission, Department of Wage & Hour Division, and the Department of Labor. OP

UFCW Joins Organizations in Mass Nationwide Voter Registration Campaign UFCW local unions in battleground states across the country have joined the Voter Participation Center, the National Associa-tion for the Advancement of Colored People, and the National Council of La Raza in an effort to mail four million offi cial voter registration applications during the month of September.

UFCW members in battleground states will have an opportunity to register to vote when they receive voter registration applica-tions in the mail. Eligible voters can fi ll in, sign the applications and mail them straight to election registrars’ offi ces in pre-addressed envelopes to be certifi ed by government offi cials. Members can learn more about the upcoming elections as well as register to vote online by going to www.voteufcw.org.

“We’re working overtime this year to make it as convenient as possible for America’s working people to register and then vote,” said UFCW International President Joe Hansen. “Increased voter participation means a stronger country.” OP

Online Tools Available for Voter Registration and Information

A new smartphone app from the nonpartisan Election Protec-tion Coalition is available for download at www.866ourvote.org. The app can help people quickly and easily check their registration status, get registered to vote, fi nd a polling place or contact Election Protection experts if they have questions or concerns.

Rock the Vote’s new interactive on-line site “Electionland” http://electionland.com/ answers questions about the 2012 election process. The website lets people submit or request registration applications or absentee ballots. It will also con-nect people with state or local election offi cials if they have questions or problems.

WWW.UFCW.ORGAugust 28, 2012 Volume 15, Issue 11

UFCW Canada Continue Their Charity Efforts for Children with Sickle Cell Disease UFCW Canada continued their efforts to help those with Sickle Cell Disease with a generous donation to Camp Jumoke. Camp Jumoke is dedicated to enriching the lives of children with the disease. The camp was founded in 1994, by The Association for the Advancement of Blacks in Health Sci-ences (AABHS). UFCW Canada and Faces Of Our Children adopted Camp Jumoke about two years ago.

With the help of UFCW Canada’s donations, Camp Jumoke was able to add a seven-week day camp to its list of pro-grams and services. The new day camp featured fundamental programs and workshops that promoted development that included educational electives and tutoring sessions through-out the summer.

For fi ve years, UFCW Canada and the Minority Coalition have worked together to raise the awareness of sickle cell through educational programs, projects and events. OP

UFCW Minority Coalition and Local 400 Members Contribute to Faces of Our Children

Members from UFCW Local 1473 Feed the Hungry in Milwaukee

On August 23, members from UFCW Local 1473 joined partners Smithfi eld, Patrick Cudahy, and Pick ‘n Save in the latest event for the Feeding the Hungry campaign. The 40,000 pound dona-tion went to the Hunger Task Force in Milwaukee, Wis. Many members of Local 1473 work at the nearby Patrick Cudahy meat processing plant. A lot of the products from the plant such as hams and bacon were part of the donation to the Hunger Task Force.

Members of Local 1473 and the Hunger Task force have had a long relationship because the food bank relies on products like the ones made by the workers at the Patrick Cudahy plant. A few years ago, a disastrous fi re brought members and the Hunger Task Force closer than they ever imagined.

A fi re broke out at the Patrick Cudahy plant in July 2009 and consumed the building. Over 1,400 workers were displaced and out of work. Local 1473 immediately reached out across the la-bor community and beyond to help with donations to the Patrick Cudahy Worker Relief Fund. Soon after the fund was established, members worked with the Milwaukee County Labor Council and the Hunger Task Force to establish a food bank for the Patrick Cudahy workers.

With the support of the Hunger Task force and other organiza-tions, members were able to stick together and move toward recovering from the fi re. Three years later, members are back at the plant to continue their work and support for organizations like the Hunger Task Force that play such an important role in their communities. OP

Members from UFCW Local 1473 donated protein to the Hunger Task Force in the latest Feeding the Hungry event in Milwaukee.

On August 11, members raised money for a Maryland charity bike ride to raise over $800 to support Faces of Our Children. Faces of Our Children is an organization that seeks to raise awareness, sup-port, and funding for the fi ght against sickle cell disease worldwide.