State Priorities
Federal Priorities
Priority State Legislation
We Need State Policies that Put Hard-Working people and Families First
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.
Priority Legislation
Strengthening Unions and the Freedom to Negotiate at Work
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 calls on policymakers to:
- Oppose Right-to-Work
- Oppose Independent Contractor Misclassification
- Ban Captive Audience Meetings
- Support Tax Credit for Union Dues
- Support Unemployment Insurance for Striking Workers
Priority Legislation
Support Good Jobs in Grocery
As the union who puts food on America’s tables, UFCW knows that a safe and abundant food supply is good for our workers and good for the nation. Nearly one million UFCW members are employed in the food processing and retail food industries.
UFCW calls on policymakers to:
- Incentivize Building Grocery Stores in Food Deserts
- Regulate Surveillance Pricing and Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs)
- Support Grocery Delivery Licensing
- Ban Cashless Stores
- Support Grocery Worker Retention
- Support Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Guardrails
Priority Legislation
Fairness, Safety, and a Voice at Work for Cannabis Workers
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:
- Support a well-regulated legal cannabis market (medical or recreational) with high road employment practices
- Support Cannabis Apprenticeships and Trainings
Priority Legislation
Raise Job Standards
America’s workers are seeing their jobs provide less and less of what they need to get by. UFCW supports raising standards for American jobs, so all working people are paid fairly for their efforts, and workplaces reflect the needs of today’s families, which include the ability to care for children and family members.
UFCW calls on policymakers to:
- Support Paid Sick Days
- Support Paid Family Leave
- Support Fair Scheduling
- Oppose Child Labor
Priority Legislation
Workplace Health and Safety
UFCW has always led the charge to protect working people from workplace injury, illness, and death, and fought to pass the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 which promises working people the right to a safe job.
UFCW calls on policymakers to:
- Support Minimum Staffing for Nurses
- Develop Workplace Excessive Heat Prevention Standards
- Support Meat Processing Safety