We need YOU! Join the UFCW Women’s Network and UFCW OUTreach to get out the vote in crucial swing states Arizona and Ohio this election!
Sign up to help phone bank with your cell phone Saturday 10/15 and 10/22 here.
Election Day is November 8th! Women’s rights and working people’s lives are on the line.
The choices voters make this year will have long-lasting effects on working women and families. We know the pro-worker candidates listed below will provide opportunities for, and support, working people across the country.
Cheri Beasley is a mom, former public defender, judge, and the first Black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court. She’s spent her life fighting to uphold the law and keep communities safe – and as U.S. Senator, she’ll fight to lower costs, create good-paying jobs and expand access to affordable, quality health care in every part of North Carolina.
The UFCW Women’s Network will be in North Carolina October 1-2. Join us there so we can help elect Cheri Beasley for U.S. Senate!
Nikki Budzinski comes from a middle-class family and has dedicated her career to fighting for working families. Nikki worked as a union activist, helped to secure the $15 minimum wage for Illinoisans. In Congress, she will fight to cut taxes on the middle class, reduce costs, and work to make more products here in America to fix the supply chain, lower prices, and create good-paying Illinois jobs.
State Constitutional Officer
| Eleni Kounalakis | Lieutenant Governor |
| Dr. Shirley WeberSecretary of State | Secretary of State |
| Malia Cohen | Controller |
| Fiona Ma | Treasurer |
State Senate
| Paula Villescaz (D) | District 6 |
| Aisha Wahab (D) | District 10 |
| Anna Caballero (D) | District 14 |
| Maria Elena Durazo (D) | District 26 |
| Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D) | District 28 |
| Kim Carr (D) | District 36 |
| Catherine Blakespear (D) | District 38 |
State Assembly
| Cecilia Aguiar-Curry (D) | District 4 |
| Lori Wilson (D) | District 11 |
| Buffy Wicks (D) | District 14 |
| Rebecca Bauer-Kahan (D) | District 16 |
| Mia Bonta (D) | District 18 |
| Liz Ortega (D) | District 20 |
| Diane Papan (D) | District 21 |
| Jessica Self (D) | District 22 |
| Esmerelda Soria (D) | District 27 |
| Gail Pellerin (D) | District 28 |
| Dawn Addis (D) | District 30 |
| Leticia Perez (D) | District 35 |
| Pilar Schiavo (D) | District 40 |
| Jacqui Irwin (D) | District 42 |
| Luz Rivas (D) | District 43 |
| Laura Friedman (D) | District 44 |
| Christy Holstege (D) | District 47 |
| Eloise Gomez-Reyes (D) | District 50 |
| Wendy Carrillo (D) | District 52 |
| Lisa Calderon (D) | District 56 |
| Sabrina Cervantes (D) | District 58 |
| Tina McKinnor (D) | District 61 |
| Fauzia Rizvi (D) | District 63 |
| Blanca Pacheco (D) | District 64 |
| Sharon Quirk-Silva (D) | District 67 |
| Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen (D) | District 70 |
| Cottie Petrie-Norris (D) | District 73 |
| Tasha Boerner Horvath (D) | District 77 |
| Akilah Weber (D) | District 79 |
The A&P bankruptcy has been a main priority for many of the Locals in Region 1. Fallon Ager-Nelson (Women’s Network Recorder) is coordinating the A&P Displaced Worker Committee for the Region, which is providing assistance to members impacted by the bankruptcy and has hosted a number of Resource Fairs for these members. A number of Women’s Network Representatives from Region 1 are also actively involved in the Committee and have been promoting the work to our members.
Region 1 was proud to have attended an event in support of Assembly Member Shavonda Sumter, a dynamic leader in New Jersey State government, to thank her for her work on behalf of the displaced A&P workers. She offered assistance to the A&P Displaced Worker Committee and did media outreach in regards to the Resource Fairs that were held in New Jersey.
During the annual Region 1 District Council Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey held September 27th-30th, the Region 1 Women’s Network hosted a workshop on using social media to effectively communicate with members generally, and during organizing campaigns. The workshop was facilitated by Janna Pea (RWDSU), Nikki Kateman (Local 338 and Women’s Network Regional Coordinator), and Joe Fedele (Local 1500). Approximately 30 union delegates and staff members attended and the session received great feedback.
On June 28th, Women’s Network Region 1 attended the New York City Pride Parade in support of UFCW OUTReach and our LGBTQ membership. Over one million people participated in the
parade, including thousands of union members from different sectors of the labor movement. It was an exciting day and we’re already looking forward to marching in the Pride Parade next year!
Millions of Americans don’t have access to paid sick days and paid family leave, which threatens their financial security, their health, and the health of their families, and our communities.
Existing paid sick days and family leave laws clearly demonstrate that any fears that these policies will have a negative effect on businesses and economies are unfounded. In fact, when surveyed, employers generally support these laws after they are implemented and there have been no signs of economic harm. Looking for a reason to pass the Healthy Families Act (HFA)?
Research shows that:
Download the The Work Family Policy Toolkit at www.hfanow.org/toolkit designed as an aid for those interested in joining the national movement to create workplace policies that help families. The toolkit is packed with information, reports, messaging, stories and more – all focused on paid family leave and paid sick days and why hard working families deserve paid time off.
May 2015
Several months ago I was in contract negotiations with one of our larger employers. One of the company’s negotiators informed us that he would have to end at approximately 3:00 PM that day. After being pressed why, he finally admitted that his daughter played sports and that she had a game that evening that he had to attend. He also admitted that he was reluctant to tell us because he didn’t know how we would react.
Yet, he wasn’t the only man in the room who was facing work/family balance issues. One of the attorneys’ explained how, each month, he and his wife struggle to plan their children’s hectic after school schedules. Every day, they try their best to attend their children’s event or escort them to practice. Another man pointed out that due to the hospitalization of a family member, that he would not be available for one of the scheduled meetings.
I chuckled at first, as I thought of the numerous times I found myself in this position as I was raising my daughter, as well as the countless number of working women who came before and after me.
Juggling child care and family related issues can be stressful for both men and women and while I’m happy to experience this cultural shift among my male colleagues and associates, I have no doubt that these men are more involved with family responsibilities than previous generations of men. The American workplace remains stuck in the 1950’s. It’s still operating on the model of Dad as the family’s breadwinner and Mom staying at home to take care of the kids. Today women comprise over fifty percent of the workforce. Despite these changes, women are still viewed as the main child care provider and are therefore expected to take time away from paid work, causing them to receive less pay and overlooked for promotions no matter how hard they work or express an interest in moving up the ladder.
Traditional attitudes and stereotypes have also prevented some men from requesting time-off, flex time, and less traveling. Like women, these men fear not being taken seriously, overlooked for promotions, and not being considered “one of the boys”. It is important that everyone recognize that work conflicts are both women’s and men’s issues, and I urge all men to join or continue this conversation, both inside and outside of their workplace, so that we can move forward to meet the ever- changing needs of today’s families.
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