UnionWize Sept-Oct

from the president’s desk …

Vote ‘No’ on Issue 2—It is a Fight for All Workers

budget shortfall. Before this all started, public employees were regularly taking pay freezes or concessions on pay and benefits to fill previous budget gaps. These citizens who serve our communi-ties are civic minded and are open to negotiate changes, but the key word must be “negotiate.” Without a “No” vote on Issue 2 they will have no say in the matter. I have been overwhelmed by the work that union members and the public have done against this issue. On July 21, Secretary of State Jon Husted certi-fied 915,456 valid signatures seeking to

repeal Senate Bill 5, a historic high for Ohio referendums. To get the issue on the ballot only 231,147 signatures were required. Normally, you get enough signatures to make sure that even if some signatures are deemed invalid you still have enough to get your issue on the ballot. But producing four times as many valid signatures as required is unheard of. Local 1059 members have been active and are continuing to be active through this whole process. Local 1059 collected 9,563 signatures to repeal Senate Bill 5. We have rank and file members out knocking on doors because face-to-face communication is the best way to answer people’s questions about what is really going on. In my address to Local 1059 stewards at our annual conference I played a clip from Apollo 13 where Lead Flight Direc-tor Gene Kranz (played by Ed Harris) overhears his superiors talking about the mission being the worst disaster in NASA history. Gene replies, “With all due respect, sir, I believe this is gonna be our finest hour.” This is the opportunity

n November 8 we will be voting on the referendum to repeal Ohio’s anti-collective bargaining bill – Senate Bill 5. That vote is Issue 2 on the statewide ballot. Let me say it another way: To get rid of Senate Bill 5,

which limits collective bargaining rights for public employees (i.e. police officers, firefighters, teachers and other state employees), Vote No on Issue 2. Governor Kasich has stated that public unions are partially responsible for the

continued on page 3…

LOCAL 1059 September / OctOber 2011 VOl. 33 NO. 5

President Randy Quickel

O

Issue 2 will appear this way on the ballot:

A majority yes vote is necessary for Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 5 to be approved. Amended Substitute Senate Bill No. 5 is a new law relative to government union contracts and other government employment contracts and policies.

A “YES” vote means you approve the law.A “NO” vote means you reject the law.

for our finest hour. On Thursday, September 22, I was reading an article about Ohio Consumers’ Counsel Janine Migden-Ostrander who resigned because of budget disputes with Governor Kasich’s office. In a published statement, Migden-Ostrander stated her opposition to those budget cuts in much the same way I feel about Senate Bill 5. The article notes Migden-Ostrander:

tried to follow Kasich’s post-election admonition “to get on the bus, or the bus is going to run over you.” But…she found the doors to the bus were locked to those from her office. [She said that after experiencing] “the blatant disregard for the facts, and the abandonment of concepts of simple fairness and the opportunity to be heard that are the foundation of American democracy, I do not want to get on the bus because I do not like where it is going.”

The bus is not going in the right direction, and we must make it take a detour. The fight is far from over. Elec-tion year 2011 is what is considered an

LOCAL 1059

tab

le o

f c

on

te

nt

s officers’ reportsRandy Quickel, President ...............................................1 “Vote ‘No’ on Issue 2––It is a Fight for All Workers”

Mark Fluharty, Secretary-Treasurer .................................5 “The Answer is?”

Greg Behnke, Executive Assistant to the President ..........6 “The Importance of Taking Your Breaks”

Tina Morgan, Organizing Director .................................7 “A Voice for the Silenced (final segment)”

Allie Petonic, Political Director ....................................10 “Ohio Workers are the Candidates in 2011”

Rick Gregory, Education Director ................................13 “September 2, 1945 – The End of World War II”

featuresSB 5 Summary ................................................................3

In Memoriam (Jack Bartoe) ............................................7

The New UFCW Local 1059 Website ..............................8

Early Voting Locations ..................................................11

Employer & Negotiation Updates .................................12

Local 1059 Member Wins Bag-Off Competition ..........14

Slash Your Grocery Bills ................................................14

Contact UFCW Local 1059 by calling 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488 and entering your party’s extension:

Rhonda Helcher ..................................211Mark Hertenstein ................................205Neil Hertenstein ..................................217Jason Kaseman ....................................240John King ............................................204Diana Marlette ....................................239Tina Morgan .......................................235Mike Nichols ......................................214Brian Perkins .......................................244

Mack Quesenberry ..............................209John Smith ..........................................203Paul Smithberger .................................250Carlos Stiffler ......................................218Administrative Office ..........................223Dues Office .........................................229Organizing Director ............................235Service Director ...................................205

Allison Appel .......................................216J.R. Berroyer .......................................206Anthony Bridges .................................242Brenda Bridges ....................................243Sylvester Carothers ..............................236Mark Derson .......................................238Bobbie Fletcher ...................................215Mark Fluharty .....................................213Tom Gartner .......................................237

Randy QuickelPresident/Editor

Mark FluhartySecretary-Treasurer

Greg BehnkeExecutive Assistant to the President

Barbara FletcherRecorder

Paul Smithberger Tina MorganCommunications Director Organizing Director

Mark Hertenstein Allie PetonicService Director Political Director

Rick Gregory Jason KasemanEducation Director Technology Specialist

Vice PresidentsSteve Allen John Angeloff Allison Appel J. R. BerroyerLouis Cruse Frank GermanJosh Greenlee Rhonda HelcherMark Hertenstein Cheryl HoffmanLonnie Newman Mike NicholsBrian Perkins Carol PraterDave Renneckar Jim RyderGene Smith John SmithJuanita Smith Keith SmithKim Smith Carlos Stiffler

Union RepresentativesAllison Appel J. R. BerroyerAnthony Bridges Brenda BridgesSylvester Carothers Mark Dersom Barbara Fletcher Tom GartnerRhonda Helcher Neil Hertenstein John King Diana Marlette Mike Nichols Brian Perkins Mack Quesenberry John Smith Carlos Stiffler

officers

UFCW Local 1059 UnionWize (USPS 567- 310) is published bi-monthly by UFCW Local 1059 at 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus OH 43213-2962. Periodicals Postage Paid at Columbus, OH.

Postmaster: Send address change to UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus 43213-2962.

Letters to the Editor intended for publication are welcome and should be addressed to UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43213. They should include the writer’s full name, address, union affiliation, company, store number, and its location. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

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VOl. 33 / NO. 5 UNIONWIZE

UFCW Local 1059 | 4150 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213 | www.ufcw1059.com

from the president’s desk ……continued from page 1

off-year election, meaning there are not federal or state candidates running for office. Generally, that means turnout will be low. A low turnout would favor

Sub S.B. 5(LSC 129 0241-5)129th General Assembly(As Pending in S. Insurance, Commerce, and Labor) Bill SummaryThe Public Employee Collective Bargaining Law

State employees and employees of state institutions of higher education• Abolishes the collective bargaining

rights of employees of the state, of any agency, authority, commission, or board of the state, and of any state institution of higher education.

• Prohibits the state, agencies, authori-ties, commissions, and boards of the state, and a state institution of higher education from collectively bargaining with its employees.

• Abolishes the Office of Collective Bargaining.

Police and fire department supervisors• Removes a limitation on the definition

of “supervisor” with respect to members of police and fire departments, poten-tially making more people supervisors and ineligible to collectively bargain.

Contract employees and employees of regional councils of government• Excludes persons working pursuant to

The Ohio Legislative Service Commission puts out a summary of what Substitute Senate Bill 5 would do. This is a reprint of that summary. It is non-political and unbiased in nature.

issue 2

allowing Senate Bill 5 to become law. We must turn out our families, our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors—any and all people to vote in November. Let

the majority of voters decide this issue. Right is on our side.

a contract between a public employer and private employer and over whom the National Labor Relations Board has declined jurisdiction from those per-sons eligible for collective bargaining.

• Excludes employees of a regional coun-cil of government from those persons eligible for collective bargaining.

Rights of public employees• Removes continuation, modification,

or deletion of an existing collective bargaining agreement from the subject of collective bargaining.

• Removes a provision granting specific authority to public school employees to collectively bargain for health care benefits.

• Authorizes public employees to refuse any representation by an exclusive rep-resentative or an employee organization.

Open shops• Makes any agreement that purports to

require that employees join any exclusive representation void and unenforceable.

Subjects for collective bargaining• Makes the following inappropriate

subjects for collective bargaining: (1) employer-paid contributions to any of the five public employee retirement systems and (2) health care benefits for which the employer is required to pay more than 80% of the cost.

• Permits public employers to not bargain on any subject reserved to

the management and direction of the governmental unit, even if the subject affects wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment.

Collective bargaining agreement provisions and approval• Prohibits a collective bargaining

agreement from prohibiting a public employer that is in a state of fiscal emergency from serving a written no-tice to terminate, modify, or negotiate the agreement.

• Prohibits a public employer from agreeing to a provision in a collective bargaining agreement that requires the public employer, when a reduction in force is necessary, to use employee length of service as the only factor when making layoffs.

• Prohibits a public employer from agreeing to a provision in a collective bargaining agreement that requires the employer to pay more than 80% of the cost paid for benefits.

• Conflicting provisions of agreements• Makes laws pertaining to the provi-

sion of health care benefits to public employees prevail over conflicting collective bargaining agreements.

• School districts, educational service centers, community schools, and STEM schools

• Prohibits a public employer that is a school district, educational service center, community school, or STEM school from entering into a collective

continued on page 4…

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UNIONWIZE September / OctOber 2011


bargaining agreement that does speci-fied things, such as establishing a maxi-mum number of students who may be assigned to a classroom or teacher.

• Requires collective bargaining agree-ments between such an education-related public employer and public employees to comply with all appli-cable state or local laws or ordinances regarding wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment, unless the conflicting provision establishes benefits that are less than provided in the law or ordinance.

• Requires the parties to consider, dur-ing negotiations, the financial status of the public employer at the time period surrounding the negotiations for pur-poses of determining the ability of the employer to pay for any agreed terms.

• Prohibits the parties from basing the ability of the employer to pay for terms of the agreement on potential future increases in the employer’s income that would only be possible by the employer obtaining funding from an outside source, including the pas-sage of a levy or a bond issue.

Dispute resolution procedures, strikes, and unfair labor practices• Revises collective bargaining dispute

resolution procedures.• Requires the employer and the State

Employment Relations Board to post in a conspicuous location on the web site maintained by the board and the employer the terms of the last collec-tive bargaining agreements offered by the employer and the exclusive repre-sentative at specific times.

• Revises the factors that a person or group administering an alternate dis-pute resolution procedure must take into account.

• If either party rejects a fact finding panel’s recommendations, permits the public employer to implement, in whole or in part, any of those recom-mendations that have been approved by the appropriate legislative authority.

• Removes the mandatory final offer settlement conciliation procedure for public employees who do not have the right to strike.

• Requires a public employer to report certain information about compensa-tion paid to public employees under a collective bargaining agreement.

• Specifies that expressions of views, opinions, and arguments are not unfair labor practices, and cannot be used as evidence of such, without a threat.

• Repeals the provision requiring the

Public Employee Collective Bargain-ing Law to be liberally construed.

• Allows public employers to set aside any provision in an existing collective bargaining agreement in the event of a fiscal emergency.

Public employee pay• Requires merit-based pay for most

public employees, including teachers and nonteaching school employees and board and commission members, and makes other, related changes.

• Generally eliminates statutory salary schedules and steps.

Public employee benefits• Abolishes the School Employees

Health Care Board, the School Em-ployees Health Care Fund, and the Public Schools Health Care Advisory Committee, and allows the board of education of any school district to govern employee health care benefits in the same way as the governing board of any public institution of higher education.

• Limits public employer contributions to-ward health insurance premiums to 80%.

…continued from page 3

Tuesday, November 15, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Chef Victor (Kroger 569) will teach you how to decorate a cake like a pro! Create your own masterpiece and take the cake home!

The cost is just $15!

The class will be held at:UFCW Local 1059 Union Hall

4150 East Main StreetColumbus, OH 43213

Send your payment to the address above with your name and store numberor pay online in the Members Area at www.ufcw1059.com

Chef Victor Blauser

5



The Answer is?by Mark Fluharty, Secretary-Treasurer

f you have watched

any news program, read any newspaper or been online

lately, chances are that you have seen workers in our nation’s major cities take to the streets in protest over corporate greed. It started on Wall Street, and it is coming to Main Street. Is it any wonder? Another 2.6 million people living in the United States slipped into poverty last year according to the Census Bureau, and the number of Americans living be-low the official poverty line was the high-est number in the 52 years the bureau has been publishing figures on it. In new signs of distress among the middle class, median household incomes fell to levels last seen in 1996. The bureau’s findings were worse than many economists expected and brought into sharp focus the toll the past decade—including the painful decline of the finan-cial market and subsequent recession—had taken on Americans at the middle and lower parts of the income ladder. It is also fresh evidence that the disappointing economic recovery has done nothing to help the country’s poorest citizens.

The past decade was also marked by a growing gap be-tween the wealthiest Ameri-cans and those struggling to make ends meet. The CEO-vs-Employee gap ratio was at its lowest in 1971. That year, the ratio between CEO and Employee pay was 30.6 percent. The ratio exploded to 264.4 percent by 2009. Average CEO Compensation in 2009 was $8.47 million while the average worker made just over $32,000. As this sad state of affairs continues, workers are increasingly looking for answers. The answer is collective bargaining. Through collective bargaining, workers can address the issues that face us today. The labor movement built the middle class and, as it did, helped bring along all workers in raising the nation’s standard of living. As we see the decline of unions today, we also see the decline of workers’ ability to provide for themselves and their families. These are not isolated events. Unions are still relevant in today’s workplace by allowing workers to negoti-ate for better wages, benefits and working conditions. Through the power of collec-tive bargaining, workers can continue to

get their fair share from the companies that they work for. There has been no major labor law reform in the United States since 1948. In 2008, Unions pushed hard for reform through the Employee Free Choice Act, which would have leveled the playing field for workers who are trying to unionize. This was met with stiff resistance from employers as well as many elected officials and was effectively stopped in Congress. So, the struggle continues for workers today. The answer is simple: Let more workers organize and have collective bargaining rights. Only together, through collective bargaining, will workers have a real voice in the American dream.

Bus Trip to Browns vs. Bengals Game in Cleveland

I

Local 1059 Big Buck Contest�is season, Local 1059 will sponsor its �rst Big Buck Contest.

�e contest is for white-taileddeer harvested in the 2011-2012 hunting season.

Any Local 1059 member can participate. Deer must be taken by legal means & properly tagged. Scoring will be done at the Local 1059 Union Hall on April 14, 2012. All entries must have minimum 60 day drying period before scoring.

Door prizes • $100 Gander Mountain gift card to highest scoring buck harvested with a �rearm • $100 Gander Mountain gift card to highest scoring buck harvested

with a bow or crossbowFor more info contact Secretary-Treasurer Fluharty at 614.237.7671 ext. 213

6



The Importance of Taking Your Breaksby Greg Behnke, Executive Assistant to the President

f you were offered

a paid break, wouldn’t

you take it? All of Local 1059’s contracts have provisions that require employees to take breaks. This 10 to 15 minute period of time was negotiated for the benefit of our membership. Companies realize that there is a cost to paying employees while they are not working, and that cost is calculated when negotiating contracts. On average, for a full-time employee with two fifteen minute breaks a day, the yearly cost to the company is $1680. If anyone in our membership is willing to take a $1680 cut in wages in order for the company to improve its bottom line or if you feel that the company needs this money more than you do, please give me a call. But that is exactly what you’re doing when you don’t take your required breaks. Even worse is the employee who is will-ing to work off the clock.

Employers fire employees who are on the clock but are found screwing off. The employers call this “time theft” and, in many cases, demand that the employee repay the company for any time that is considered stolen. Employers don’t have a term for when they get free work from you. This action also deprives other em-ployees from hours they would otherwise have if the work was not getting done due to the hour cutbacks that the companies impose, knowing that people will find ways (like not taking breaks and working off the clock) to get the work done. Most employers say they don’t con-done employees not taking their required breaks, but they turn their heads the other way most of the time when this occurs. Why do I think this happens? Because discipline is issued if you take too long of a break when the company checks your time clock punches, but nothing is said if your time clock punch-es don’t show a break. In addition to the economic reasons employees should take their breaks, there are health risks associated with

not taking breaks. Problems such as stress and exhaustion are obvious, but other injuries that are by-products of the exhaustion may also result. Many health conditions remain hidden until later years in your life. In some shops, the peer pressure by management personnel and other coworkers trying to impress management can be overwhelming. You should notify your steward or Union Representative about the situation so that employees and management are put on notice that the breaks are required or that manage-ment will be required to compensate employees not taking breaks the amount of time in violation, many times being paid at overtime (time and one half ). If we do not enforce our contract lan-guage, the company has every right to try to bargain the provisions away. What com-pany wouldn’t like to save $1680 per year from every employee working for them?

I

Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament

7



n my last ar-ticle, we

discussed the 8-step

process to get union representation. The union has now won the election! So, once the National Labor Relations Board certifies the election results, which takes about 7 business days, we jump right into the negotiation process. The organiz-ers that worked with the group during the campaign help create a survey asking employees about the specific issues and concerns expressed during the organizing campaign. We send the survey out to the entire bargaining unit. Organizers also help select people from the campaign to be on the negotia-tion committee. Individuals are selected with an effort to diversify the depart-ments of the facility, shifts, gender, race and duties represented on the committee. While we wait for the surveys to return,

the lead negotiator will contact the com-pany’s negotiator to request vital infor-mation, which by law they must provide. He or she will also begin to set up dates, times and places for negotiation sessions. Prior to the first negotiation session, once the surveys have been returned, the negotiators and committee will meet and develop proposals from the survey results as well as some boilerplate items such as language concerning union access to the facility, a grievance procedure and a union shop clause. We will also evaluate the workers’ current provisions with the employer to identify items that the employees want to keep and lock in. We need to know what we have to start with because, by law, the employer must start negotiating from what is already established and move for-ward from there. Once the proposals are completed and the dates are set, negotia-tions will begin. It is not unusual for negotiations to

take what seems to be a long time. Dur-ing the process, the committee will be present at the table with the negotiators, sitting across from the company. There will be give and take; items will be agreed upon. Other issues will be modified before an agreement can be reached.

Once everything concerning wages, benefits and working conditions has been negotiated, and the committee has gotten the best deal possible, the agreement will be presented to the entire voting group at a special meeting. There will be union representatives present at the meeting to explain the agreement in full to each person prior to voting. Once the agree-ment has been accepted/ratified, you will be union members! Those that were once silenced, now have a voice! If you know someone that needs to have their voice heard, please have them call me at 614.237.7671 extention 235.

A Voice for the Silenced(final segment)by Tina Morgan, Organizing Director

I

in memoriam

John “Jack” Bartoe passed away at the Ohio State Medi-cal Center on August 25, 2011. He was 76 years old. Jack was a meat cutter for many years, working throughout the Colum-bus metro area. Eventually, he joined the UFCW Local 1059 staff as a Union Representa-tive, retiring in 1993. Jack will be gone from our lives but not from our hearts.

One-1-One ProgramWednesday, November 16, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Join us at the Local 1059 Union Hall in Columbus to participate in the One-1-One Program making baby blankets for Choices, an organization helping victims of domestic violence and their families. You can support One-1-One by donating ONE yard of �eece and ONE hour of your time to make ONE blanket. No sewing skills are necessary: You only have to use a pair of scissors and tie a knot to make these blankets.

If you are interested in helping, contact Diana Marlette at 614.237.7671 ext. 239

www.ufcw1059.com

Members AreaSetting Up A Username & Password

� e New UFCW Local 1059 Website

Inside e Members Area

New ContentTh e new UFCW Local 1059 website has some exciting new features. And along with all the old content you’ve come to rely on, we’ve also added new pages explaining common union lingo, updated FAQs and forms that make it easy to participate in the Local’s organizing and political work.

UnionWize OnlineVisit the new website to read the latest issue of Union-Wize. Flip through the pages or skip to any particular page using the online interface. Zoom-in or print an issue for easy reading. Th e site continues to feature the current issue of UnionWize and now off ers two trailing issues, updated bi-monthly.

PicturesCheck out photos from Local 1059 events in this section of the new site. All of the photos can be saved or printed directly from the website. In addition, video taken at our events may also fi nd its way to the web as is the case for the 2011 Soft ball Tournament and the 2011 Ohio Best Bagger Contest.

Events CalendarTh e brand new events calendar integrates area meetings, new member orientations and other upcoming UFCW Local 1059 events into one page. Browse past and future dates with ease using the handy calendar tools. Simply click on any event for a description, its starting time and its location.

Update Your Conact Information When you click on this button, you will see your contact information as it appears in our system. Update any changes to that infor-mation, add your e-mail address or give us permission to contact you via text message. Register for New Member Orientation Th is button will only appear for you if you are eligible to attend a new member orientation class. Click on the button to see upcoming classes and register to attend one. Order Event Tickets Use this section to order tickets off ered by Local 1059. Orders will be processed and mailed the next weekday of business operations. Your Union Representative Find the name and contact information for your Union Representative. Your Contract Click on the link to see a copy of the contract for your store or plant. Forms Click on these links for printable versions of avail-able forms.

Step 1: Enter the Members AreaYou will need to establish a login username and a password when you fi rst visit

the Members Area of the new website. To do this, simply click on the Members Area link in the navigation bar on any page. Th en, click on the fi rst option

you are given (“Click to Establish your Login & Password”).

Step 2: Create Your Username & PasswordNext, you will need to confi rm your identity by entering your fi rst name, your

last name and the last 4 numbers of your Social Security number. Th en, you will create your own Login Name and your own Password. When you have

entered your information into each fi eld, you may click the “Register” button. If the site recognizes you as a member, you will see a confi rmation of your

information. Finally, return to the Members Area main page (above), click the second link (“If you Have your Login & Password, Click to Login”) and enter

your login username and password.

8

UNIONWIZE


www.ufcw1059.com

Members AreaSetting Up A Username & Password

� e New UFCW Local 1059 Website

Inside e Members Area

New ContentTh e new UFCW Local 1059 website has some exciting new features. And along with all the old content you’ve come to rely on, we’ve also added new pages explaining common union lingo, updated FAQs and forms that make it easy to participate in the Local’s organizing and political work.

UnionWize OnlineVisit the new website to read the latest issue of Union-Wize. Flip through the pages or skip to any particular page using the online interface. Zoom-in or print an issue for easy reading. Th e site continues to feature the current issue of UnionWize and now off ers two trailing issues, updated bi-monthly.

PicturesCheck out photos from Local 1059 events in this section of the new site. All of the photos can be saved or printed directly from the website. In addition, video taken at our events may also fi nd its way to the web as is the case for the 2011 Soft ball Tournament and the 2011 Ohio Best Bagger Contest.

Events CalendarTh e brand new events calendar integrates area meetings, new member orientations and other upcoming UFCW Local 1059 events into one page. Browse past and future dates with ease using the handy calendar tools. Simply click on any event for a description, its starting time and its location.

Update Your Conact Information When you click on this button, you will see your contact information as it appears in our system. Update any changes to that infor-mation, add your e-mail address or give us permission to contact you via text message. Register for New Member Orientation Th is button will only appear for you if you are eligible to attend a new member orientation class. Click on the button to see upcoming classes and register to attend one. Order Event Tickets Use this section to order tickets off ered by Local 1059. Orders will be processed and mailed the next weekday of business operations. Your Union Representative Find the name and contact information for your Union Representative. Your Contract Click on the link to see a copy of the contract for your store or plant. Forms Click on these links for printable versions of avail-able forms.

Step 1: Enter the Members AreaYou will need to establish a login username and a password when you fi rst visit

the Members Area of the new website. To do this, simply click on the Members Area link in the navigation bar on any page. Th en, click on the fi rst option

you are given (“Click to Establish your Login & Password”).

Step 2: Create Your Username & PasswordNext, you will need to confi rm your identity by entering your fi rst name, your

last name and the last 4 numbers of your Social Security number. Th en, you will create your own Login Name and your own Password. When you have

entered your information into each fi eld, you may click the “Register” button. If the site recognizes you as a member, you will see a confi rmation of your

information. Finally, return to the Members Area main page (above), click the second link (“If you Have your Login & Password, Click to Login”) and enter

your login username and password.

9

UNIONWIZE


10



Governor Kasich takes away our ability to fight back collectively as workers.

Issue 2 threatens ALL Ohio workers. Issue 2 threatens working families and every worker who is protected by a collective bargaining agreement—regardless of job, rank, seniority or profession. If Governor John Kasich is able to strip away the rights of public employees, he’s sure to be coming for takeaways from every worker.

Here are 3 ways workers and voters like us are need in the fight against Issue 2.1) Cast your vote early – by mail or in

person – against Issue 2. We can’t predict our schedule on Election Day, so why not vote early? See the listings (on page 11) for early vote locations and phone numbers. Call to ask for times on a day that works for you, or call to ask for your application to vote by mail.

2) Join a neighborhood canvass against Issue 2. Volunteers are knocking doors and making phone calls from neighborhoods across the state. Go

to weareohio.com/events to look-up your zipcode for a complete listing.

3) Sign-on to “friends and family,” at waofriends.com. We all have friends and family who could use extra encouragement to vote in an election year like this one. Use this website to identify the friends and family whom you will contact against Issue 2 and ask to vote early. This is an easy way to swing the election against Issue 2 for the We Are Ohio campaign because then the campaign will know that you are a friend who is communicating with voters.

Election Day is happening now in Ohio, and our chance to defend workers against Issue 2 depends on voters like us. Only our votes – not petition signatures alone – will defeat Issue 2. Let’s help politicians in Columbus know the power of a citizens’ veto when we vote no Issue 2 because it’s unfair, unsafe, and hurts us all.

Ohio Workers are the Candidates in 2011by Allie Petonic, Political Director

Ohio workers

are the candidates we

defend at the ballot in 2011. Ordinarily, voters must trust their votes to candidates, but “voting no” on Issue 2 to reject Senate Bill 5 protects workers like us, and it protects the community services carried out by public employees. Issue 2 is unfair, unsafe, and hurts us all.

Issue 2 hurts our community. By eliminating many collective bargaining rights from public employees who serve us, nurses and firefighters won’t be able to negotiate safe staffing levels, and teachers no longer can negotiate sensible class sizes. Important public services we depend on will be stretched thin, with too few staff working too many hours with too little training.

Issue 2’s real mission is to silence workers. Issue 2 is part of Governor Kasich’s broader agenda to tilt the balance of power in Ohio in favor of management. Issue 2 backers expect Ohio’s working families to make even bigger sacrifices and sit quietly as

Your signatures and petitions you circulated placed Issue 2 on the ballot. It’s up to voters like us to reject Issue 2 by voting early or on November 8th.

Juanita Smith and Jason Taylor knock doors against Issue 2. Talking with voters face-to-face in a neighborhood canvass is the best way to help voters understand why Issue 2 is unfair, unsafe, and hurts us all.

11



Early Voting Locations

V O T E

YOU HAVE THE POWER

ADAMS COUNTY215 N. Cross St., Room 103West Union, OH 45693Tel. 937-544-2633ALLEN COUNTY 204 N. Main St. Lima, OH 45801Tel. 419-223-8530ASHLAND COUNTY 110 Cottage St. Ashland, OH 44805Tel. 419-282-4224ASHTABULA COUNTY 8 W. Walnut St. Jefferson, OH 44047Tel. 440-576-6915ATHENS COUNTY 15 S. Court St., Room 130Athens, OH 45701Tel. 740-592-3201AUGLAIZE COUNTY 209 S. BlackhoofRoom 205Wapakoneta, OH 45895Tel. 419-739-6720BELMONT COUNTY103 Plaza Drive, Suite BSt. Clairsville, OH 43950Tel. 740-526-0188BROWN COUNTY 800 Mt. Orab PikeSuite 111 Georgetown, OH 45121Tel. 937-378-3008BUTLER COUNTY 1802 Princeton RoadHamilton, OH 45011Tel. 513-887-3700CARROLL COUNTY 119 S. Lisbon St.Suite 102Carrollton, OH 44615Tel. 330-627-2610CHAMPAIGN COUNTY 1512 South U.S. Hwy 68Urbana, OH 43078Tel. 937-484-1575CLARK COUNTY 3130 E. Main St.Springfi eld, OH 45501Tel. 937-521-2120CLERMONT COUNTY 76 S. Riverside DriveBatavia, OH 45103Tel. 513-732-7275CLINTON COUNTY 46 S. South St., 1st FloorWilmington, OH 45177Tel. 937-382-3537COLUMBIANA COUNTY 41 N. Park Ave.Lisbon, OH 44432Tel: 330-424-1448 x1652

COSHOCTON COUNTY 724 S. Seventh St.Room 100Coshocton, OH 43812Tel. 740-622-1117CRAWFORD COUNTY 130 N. Walnut St., Suite ABucyrus, OH 44820Tel. 419-562-8721CUYAHOGA COUNTY 2925 Euclid Ave.Cleveland, OH 44115Tel. 216-443-3200DARKE COUNTY 300 Garst Ave.Greenville, OH 45331Tel. 937-548-1835DEFIANCE COUNTY 1300 E. Second St.Suite 103Defi ance, OH 43512Tel. 419-782-8543DELAWARE COUNTY 149 E. Orange RoadLewis Center, OH 43035Tel. 740-833-2080ERIE COUNTY 2900 Columbus Ave.Sandusky, OH 44870Tel. 419-627-7601FAIRFIELD COUNTY 951 Liberty DriveLancaster, OH 43130Tel. 740-652-7000FAYETTE COUNTY 133 S. Main St., Suite 404Washington Court House, OH 43160Tel. 740-335-1190FRANKLIN COUNTY 280 E. Broad St., 1st FloorColumbus, OH 43215Tel. 614-525-3100FULTON COUNTY 135 Courthouse PlazaWauseon, OH 43567Tel. 419-335-6841GALLIA COUNTY18 Locust St., 2nd FloorGallipolis, OH 45631Tel. 740-446-1600GEAUGA COUNTY470 Center RoadBuilding 6AChardon, OH 44024Tel. 440-285-2222GREENE COUNTY 651 Dayton-Xenia RoadXenia, OH 45385Tel. 937-562-7478GUERNSEY COUNTY 627 Wheeling Ave.Suite 101Cambridge, OH 43725Tel. 740-432-2680

HAMILTON COUNTY824 BroadwayCincinnati, OH 45202Tel. 513-632-7000HANCOCK COUNTY201 E. Lincoln St. (At rear)Findlay, OH 45840Tel. 419-422-3245HARDIN COUNTY One Courthouse SquareSuite 170Kenton, OH 43326Tel. 419-674-2211HARRISON COUNTY 538 N. Main St., Suite BCadiz, OH 43907Tel. 740-942-8866HENRY COUNTY 1827 Oakwood Ave.Napoleon, OH 43545Tel. 419-592-7956HIGHLAND COUNTY 1575 N. High St.Suite 200Hillsboro, OH 45133Tel. 937-393-9961HOCKING COUNTY 1 E. Main St.Logan, OH 43138Tel. 740-380-8683HOLMES COUNTY 75 E. Clinton St., Suite 108Millersburg, OH 44654Tel. 330-674-5921HURON COUNTY 180 Milan Ave., Suite 4Norwalk, OH 44857Tel. 419-668-8238JACKSON COUNTY 275 Portsmouth St.Suite 2Jackson, OH 45640Tel. 740-286-2905JEFFERSON COUNTY 117 N. Third St.Steubenville, OH 43952Tel. 740-283-8522KNOX COUNTY 117 E. High St., Suite 210Mt. Vernon, OH 43050Tel. 740-393-6716LAKE COUNTY 105 Main St.Painesville, OH 44077Tel. 440-350-2700LAWRENCE COUNTY 111 S. Fourth St.Ironton, OH 45638Tel. 740-532-0444LICKING COUNTY 20 S. Second St.Newark, OH 43058Tel. 740-670-5080

LOGAN COUNTY 225 S. Main St.Bellefontaine, OH 43311Tel. 937-599-7255LORAIN COUNTY 1985 North Ridge Rd. ELorain, OH 44055Tel. 440-326-5900LUCAS COUNTY 1302 Washington St.Toledo, OH 43604Tel. 419-213-4001MADISON COUNTY 117 W. High St., Suite 102London, OH 43140Tel. 740-852-9424MAHONING COUNTY 345 Oak Hill Ave.Youngstown, OH 44502Tel. 330-783-2474MARION COUNTY 222 W. Center St.Marion, OH 43302Tel. 740-223-4090MEDINA COUNTY 4210 N. Jefferson St.Medina, OH 44256Tel. 330-722-9278MEIGS COUNTY 117 E. Memorial DriveSuite 1Pomeroy, OH 45769Tel. 740-992-2697MERCER COUNTY 101 N. Main St.Room 107Celina, OH 45822Tel. 419-586-2215MIAMI COUNTY 215 W. Main St.Troy, OH 45373Tel. 937-440-3900MONROE COUNTY 47084 Black Walnut Pkwy., Suite 3Woodsfi eld, OH 43793Tel. 740-472-0929MONTGOMERY COUNTY 451 W. Third St.Dayton, OH 45481Tel. 937-225-5656MORGAN COUNTY 155 E. Main St.Room 157McConnelsville, OH 43756Tel. 740-962-3116MORROW COUNTY 619 W. Marion Road Mt. Gilead, OH 43338Tel. 419-946-4026MUSKINGUM COUNTY 205 N. Seventh St.Zanesville, OH 43701Tel. 740-455-7120

NOBLE COUNTY 140 CourthouseCaldwell, OH 43724Tel. 740-732-2057OTTAWA COUNTY 8444 W. State Route 163 Suite 101Oak Harbor, OH 43449Tel. 419-898-3071PAULDING COUNTY 105 E. Perry St.Paulding, OH 45879Tel. 419-399-8230PERRY COUNTY 121 W. Brown St.New Lexington, OH 43764Tel. 740-342-2134PICKAWAY COUNTY 141 W. Main St., Suite 800Circleville, OH 43113Tel. 740-474-1100PIKE COUNTY 230 Waverly PlazaSuite 1100Waverly, OH 45690Tel. 740-947-4512PORTAGE COUNTY 449 S. Meridian St.Room 101Ravenna, OH 44266Tel. 330-297-3511PREBLE COUNTY 101 E. Main St.Eaton, OH 45320Tel. 937-456-8117PUTNAM COUNTY 336 E. Main St., Suite A Ottawa, OH 45875Tel. 419-523-3343RICHLAND COUNTY 1495 W. Longview Ave. Suite 101Mansfi eld, OH 44906Tel. 419-774-5530ROSS COUNTY 475 Western Ave., Suite DChillicothe, OH 45601Tel. 740-775-2350SANDUSKY COUNTY 2020 Countryside DriveFremont, OH 43420Tel. 419-334-6180SCIOTO COUNTY 602 Seventh St., Room 105Portsmouth, OH 45662Tel. 740-353-4178SENECA COUNTY 71 S. Washington St.Suite 1101Tiffi n, OH 44883Tel. 419-447-4424

SHELBY COUNTY 230 E. Court St.Sidney, OH 45365Tel. 937-498-7207STARK COUNTY 201 Third St. NECanton, OH 44702Tel. 330-451-8683SUMMIT COUNTY 470 Grant St.Akron, OH 44311Tel. 330-643-5200TRUMBULL COUNTY 2947 Youngstown Road, SEWarren, OH 44484Tel. 330-369-4050TUSCARAWAS COUNTY Courthouse Square101 E. High Ave.New Philadelphia, OH 44663Tel. 330-343-8819UNION COUNTY 940 London Ave.Suite 1000Marysville, OH 43040Tel. 937-642-2836VAN WERT COUNTY 120 E. Main St.Van Wert, OH 45891Tel. 419-238-4192VINTON COUNTY 31935 SR 93, Unit 1McArthur, OH 45651Tel. 740-596-5855WARREN COUNTY 406 Justice DriveRoom 323Lebanon, OH 45036Tel. 513-695-1358WASHINGTON COUNTY 205 Putnam St.Marietta, OH 45750Tel. 740-374-6828WAYNE COUNTY 200 Vanover St., Suite 1Wooster, OH 44691Tel. 330-287-5480WILLIAMS COUNTY 228 S. Main St.Bryan, OH 43506Tel. 419-636-1854WOOD COUNTY 1 Court House SquareBowling Green, OH 43402Tel. 419-354-9120WYANDOT COUNTY 109 S. Sandusky Ave.Room 12Upper Sandusky, OH 43351Tel. 419-294-1226

EARLY VOTING LOCATIONS —Tuesday, October 4, through Monday, November 7

You may only vote in the county in which you live. For more information and to receive updates, text ohafl cio to 313131.

You have the right to vote. Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE for election protection help and to learn how to cast your ballot.

12



Employer & Negotiation Updates

• Ohio Valley. Workers at 12 Kroger stores under UFCW Local 23’s juris-diction have ratified a 3-year contract by a 2-to-1 margin. Tense negotiations lasted 3 weeks following the contract expiration, but things came to a head just before Labor Day when Kroger employees took to the company’s Facebook page and staged a “Facebook flash mob,” posting a steady stream of comments asking for a fair contract. Kroger employees covered by the new contract will receive a signing bonus of $1,000 for full-timers and $500 for part-time workers. Wages in the follow-ing two years will rise 1.5% in Febru-ary and 2.5% a year later. Healthcare premiums and deductibles will increase, though some costs were defrayed via the introduction of an annual health risk assessment.

• Southern California. Seven UFCW locals in Southern California have rati-fied a new labor contract with Ralphs (owned by Kroger Co.), Vons (owned by Safeway Inc.) and Albertsons (owned by SuperValu Inc.) as of Saturday, Septem-ber 24. Negotiations had dragged on for over 8 months until a breakthrough was reached after the UFCW gave a 72-hour notice that they would cancel their contract extension in preparation for a strike. Healthcare proved the biggest impediment to negotiations. Finally, the union and employers were able to agree

on an offer that raised weekly premiums to $9.00 for individual coverage and $23.00 for a family. At ratification, members received a bonus on hours worked for the last 12 months, 25¢ for top-rated workers and 15¢ for mem-bers in progressions. During the 2nd year, members get a 20¢ or 25¢ raise based on classification for top-rated employees. In the 3rd year, there is a 30¢ bonus for top-rated employees on all hours worked in the previous 12 months. The contract affects over 62,000 employees.

• Michigan. Meijer employees in Michi-gan ratified their new contract. Mem-bers of UFCW Local 951, based in Grand Rapids, were able to secure pay raises for all members. The contract covers 27,000 employees at Meijer retail stores, distribution centers, prop-erty management and service units.

• Universal Benefits Agreement. The Meijer Universal Benefits Agreement (UBA) was ratified in September by an aggregate vote of all union Meijer employees in Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio. The five-year UBA package in-cludes improvements to paid time off, the 401(k) program and maintaining affordable healthcare. The agreement will take effect on January 1, 2012.

• Hormel. UFCW members at Hormel plants in Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Georgia ratified a 4-year contract on September 13. The new agreement provides for a base wage increase of $1.50 over the term of the contract, improvements to healthcare such as coverage for trans-plants and an allowance for hearing aids and an increased 401(k) match.

• Tyson. A settlement has been reached with Tyson to award $32 million to poultry workers for the company. The UFCW took Tyson to court 12 years ago

Meijer Universal Benefits Agreement rati-fied—effective 1/1/2012 Pictured after vote count: (back) Flo Tomei #114, Secretary-Treasurer Mark Fluharty, Service Director Mark Hertenstein (front) Jean Ennis #212, Jaycee Dowdy #143, Mar-cella Durfey #143

over lost wages Tyson was not paying employees for time spent putting on or taking off protective gear. The legal settlement will award an average of $1,000 to current and former Tyson employees.

• New York City. A study released in September by the City University of New York (CUNY) reveals that Walmart’s effort to match their nation-al market share of grocery sales in New York City would force nearly 14,000 lost jobs in the 5 boroughs. Walmart has recently turned its attention to an expansion into the city, already spending over $2.1 million on lobby-ing in New York, which is 6 times as much political cash as the company spent in the last four years combined. Though Mayor Bloomberg has spoken well of the big box retailer, Walmart faces skepticism in the New York City Council. Earlier this year, the com-pany refused the council’s invitation to speak with them about the impact Walmart would have on the city. The new CUNY report shows why.

• Westerville. After a long fight against bringing Walmart to the Westerville Square shopping center, city council members voted 6 to 1 in favor of the development in July. Westerville Citizens for Responsible Growth, a grassroots organization opposing the store, as well as other community organizations, including UFCW Local 1059, sought to prevent the new ordinance from taking effect by gathering referendum signa-tures that would allow Westerville residents to vote on the issue them-selves. Walmart opponents gathered over 2,300 signatures, but the local Boards of Elections determined that the effort fell just 36 signatures shy of the required 1,679 valid signa-tures. However, Local 1059 aided in a review of the petitions, which resulted in an appeal of the decision pending the verification of dozens of signatures originally ruled invalid.

13



he long na-

tional ordeal that began

on December 7, 1941 with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor ended on Septem-ber 2, 1945 when the Japanese surren-dered. Germany had already surrendered the previous April. World War II changed the power structure in the world, and these changes would affect American politics, economics, society, culture and unions from 1945 through today. The war had destroyed much of the economic base of the industrialized world. Large parts of Western Europe, from France to the Soviet Union, were devastated as armies from both sides fought for every inch of territory. The German Air Force destroyed much of Great Britain’s industrial base, while the British and American air forces deci-mated Germany and Japan. The Soviet Union lost twenty-six million people during the war. The United States lost over 250,000 soldiers, but no bombs

were dropped on our country; except at Pearl Harbor. Thus, America emerged from World War II not only with its industrial base intact but as the world’s only major economic power. We would enjoy this position from 1945 until the 1970s. During this period, the U.S. produced the vast majority of cars, trucks, steel, tires and other industrial goods in the world, and many American companies made higher profits than they had ever dreamed possible. This unparalleled prosperity along with the New Deal political coalition provided fertile ground for unions to grow. Union membership as a percent-age of all workers rose to 35-40% by the mid-1950s. This was as high as that figure ever rose. As unions organized retail clerks, butchers, packinghouse and food processing workers, auto workers, rubber workers, steel workers and many other laborers, organized labor opened the doors to the middle class for mil-lions of men and women who worked for an hourly wage. During this period

of prosperity, unions also negotiated many of the things workers today take for granted: pensions, health care, vaca-tions, holidays, etc. The World War II generation has been called the “Greatest Generation.” There are a few people of this generation left with us. If you know one, thank them.

September 2, 1945The End of World War IIby Rick Gregory, Education Director

T

HOCKEY NIGHT

Send Payment to: UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E. Main St., Columbus, OH 43213

Name (print)

Address

City State Zip

Phone

Enclose $

Employer

in Columbusin Columbus

Contact Julie Klein at 614.237.7671 ext. 233 for more informationor purchase tickets online in the Members Area at www.ufcw1059.com

Seating is located in the Upper BowlCenter Ice section

Tickets Only

$40(reg $51)

with vs. Boston Bruins

Saturday, December 10, 2011

14



Adapted from “Slash Your Grocery Bills” in ShopSmart, August/September 2011

Here are 7 simple ways to cut your grocery bills:

Slash Your Grocery Bills

with tabs is an easy way to sort your coupons by aisle or by item.

4. Know Your Store’s Coupon Policy. Stores may vary in their rules regard-ing coupon redemption. Some stores will honor a competitor’s offers, while others establish double or triple cou-pon days. Knowing a store’s idiosyn-crasies is worth the effort.

5. Always Carry Your Store Loyalty Card. Many stores offer loyalty cards that conveniently fit on your key ring. But for the tech-savvy, you may also want to try the CardStar app which stores your loyalty card information on your phone.

6. Don’t Forget Your List & Check Unit Prices. A shopping list is an amazing tool. When you know what you’re supposed to buy at the market, you’re less likely to stray on impulse buys. Also, make sure you’re buying the most cost-effective sizes because big-ger isn’t always better, especially when you have coupons.

7. Watch The Register. Sometimes prod-ucts aren’t marked correctly, and you could lose out on a sale price you should have gotten. Always check your receipt to make sure the price you expected is the price you paid.

1. Start Clipping. Coupons can save you significant sums. Buying multiple copies of a newspaper in order to clip additional copies of the same coupon is one option. But don’t forget to check in-store dispensers, receipts and prod-ucts themselves for other coupons.

2. Sign Up. Many retailers offer exclusive discounts to those shoppers on their e-mail lists. There are also sites like CoolSavings, Coupons.com and Gro-cerySmarts.com that provide subscrib-ers with great opportunities to save.

3. Get Organized. What use are coupons if you can’t find what you need when you need it? Getting an envelope

Local 1059 Member Wins Bag-Off Competition

aylor Hahnert has been em-ployed for just over a year as a bagger at Kroger 857. He en-

tered the Ohio Grocers Association’s Best Bagger Contest this year and eventually qualified for the state-level competition. Until I felt the rush of cheering at the state competition, I had never realized how exciting a “bag-off” could be. The event was packed with spectators cheer-ing on the baggers. In all, three Local 1059 members competed at the Ohio Best Bagger Con-test. In addition to Taylor, Alisha Ware

by Bobbie Fletcher

of Kroger 965 and Anthony Munford of Kroger 990 put up a tough fight. Contestants were required to fill three reusable shopping bags with vari-ous products. The baggers were judged on their speed, the weight distribution among their bags and their technique. Out of a maximum of 28 possible points, Taylor scored over 25 in both rounds of the contest. After an extremely exciting three hours, Taylor finally emerged as “Ohio’s Best Bagger.” He beat 32 other competi-tors for the title. Taylor won $1,000

Union Representative Bobbie Fletcher and Taylor Hahnert

T

cash and now advances to the National Best Bagger Contest in Las Vegas, where he will compete against other state win-ners in February 2012. Go Taylor!

15



Quarterly union meetingsAll Quarterly Union Meetings start at 7:00 pm unless otherwise noted.Central Area—Tuesday, November 1, 2011 UFCW Local 1059, Columbus4150 E. Main Street

Eastern Area—Wednesday, November 2, 2011Creative Catering, Hebron925 W. Main Street

Southern Area—Thursday, November 3, 2011 Meeting times: 10:00 am & 7:00 pmComfort Inn, Chillicothe20 N. Plaza Boulevard

Toledo Area—Monday, November 7, 2011 Holiday Inn Express, Perrysburg10621 Fremont Pike

upcoming eventsCake Decorating Class—Tuesday, November 15, 2011One-1-One Program—Wednesday, November 16, 2011Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament—Friday, December 2, 2011Winter Wonderland—Saturday, December 10, 2011Blue Jackets vs. Bruins—Saturday, December 10, 2011Big Buck Contest—Saturday, April 14, 2012

Southeastern Area—Tuesday, November 8, 2011The Olde Dutch Restaurant, Logan12791 State Route 664 S.

Central Area—Wednesday, November 9, 2011Meeting time: 10:00 amUFCW Local 1059, Columbus4150 E. Main Street

Northern Area—Wednesday, November 9, 2011Tri Rivers Career Center, Marion2222 Marion-Mt. Gilead Road

Northwestern Area—Thursday, November 10, 2011Comfort Suites, Findlay3700 Speedway Drive

contact informationLocal 1059 Office614.237.7671 ortoll-free 800.282.6488

Health & Welfare Office614.237.7618 ortoll-free 800.282.6483

Pension Office614.237.7423 or toll-free 800.282.6483

Education DirectorRick Gregory at the Red River

Education DirectorRick Gregory at the Red River

Gold Athena in the ParthenonGold Athena in the Parthenon

Anxiously Awaiting Entrance toCountry Music Hall of FamePresident Quickel as Singer for

an Old Country Song

Group Photo at Ryman Auditorium

LOCAL 1059

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 201111:00 AM TO 8:00 PM

Bring your children and grandchildren to the UFCW Local 1059 Union Hallfor a chance to meet Santa Claus and get your picture taken with him!

Come celebrate the holidays with your friends at Local 1059. Members can register for a visit online or by calling 614.237.7671

starting DECEMBER 1.

United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, CLC4150 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213

periodical postage paid at Columbus, OH

Documents

UnionWize Sept-Oct