State Priorities
Federal Priorities
Voting is one of the most important ways to make sure our local, state and national governments work better for hard-working people. Holding politicians accountable and supporting the issues that matter isn’t something we only do at the ballot box. UFCWVotes engages our elected representatives on essential worker issues every day. Together, we can and do make government work better for working people.
Strengthening Unions and the Freedom to Negotiate at Work
Protect a Healthy and Safe Food Supply Chain
Steady, Reliable Retirement Income and Affordable Health Care for All
Fairness, Safety, and a Voice at Work for Cannabis Workers
Full Rights and Equal Protections for Immigrant Workers
Every worker has the right to join with coworkers and organize a union. Irresponsible employers often intimidate pro-union employees and suppress workers’ efforts to have a voice on the job.
Unions are good for all workers. When workers negotiate together, they are more likely to have employer provided health insurance, paid leave, and higher wages. Industries with higher union density pay higher wages and provide better benefits even to non-union workers.
UFCW members are employed throughout the food supply chain in meat, poultry and food processing and retail grocery stores. Protecting UFCW members is essential to making sure all Americans have access to safe and nutritious food. We believe that no one who works hard should go hungry. The federal food stamp or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program serves as the first line of defense against hunger for working families in hard-working communities.
UFCW knows that food safety requires safe and healthy food workers and calls on policymakers to:
Everyone deserves a steady, reliable income once they leave the workforce. Social Security, pensions, and personal savings are the three major pieces of financial security during retirement. We need a strong pension system, expanded Social Security benefits, and fair wages so working families can build up retirement savings over the course of their careers.
We must also ensure that all Americans have access to comprehensive health care coverage through employer-based coverage, Affordable Care Act plans, and strong Medicare and Medicaid programs.
UFCW calls on policymakers to:
Forty-eight states including the District of Columbia have legalized some form of cannabis or CBD. The states that have passed laws legalizing cannabis have developed licensing schemes designed to protect state interests. Policymakers must ensure that the newly formalized and rapidly expanding cannabis industry supports family-sustaining jobs, as well as a strong, diverse, and skilled workforce.
UFCW calls on policymakers to:
Immigrants and refugees have enriched the fabric of our communities and our workforce since our nation’s founding. Our current immigration system is badly broken, allowing unscrupulous companies to exploit immigrant workers by paying guestworkers less than they would pay American workers, while sending those with legal work permits home to countries devastated by war and disasters. We need to create a fair immigration process that enables people to contribute to our communities, lifts labor standards, and empowers workers.
