For Immediate Release: Monday, April 8
Contact: ufcwguildofficers@gmail.com
Staff Protest Hypocritical Behavior at the Bargaining Table
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) International staff represented by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild (WBNG) Local 32035, put out a statement announcing the termination of their contract with UFCW, following a “lunch-out” where UFCW Guild staff picketed outside of UFCW International headquarters demanding a better contract.
Today’s contract termination announcement triggers a thirty day day cool off period. After those thirty days, the contract will be terminated and UFCW Guild staff will be able to go on strike. An indefinite strike has not been held against a major labor union’s headquarters before, and UFCW Guild staff mobilized today to demonstrate that they are not afraid to take action.
UFCW International Guild members have been working under an expired contract since January 7th and have been bargaining with UFCW since October 26, 2023. At the core of the Guild’s contract priorities are a reasonable telework policy and inflation-beating wages that help combat the yearslong inequalities experienced by UFCW Guild members.
The following is a statement released by UFCW Guild Bargaining Committee Member Ryan Wimbush:
“By picketing today, we showed UFCW leadership that we are not scared to take action and stand together to fight for a fair contract. As one of the longest tenured staff members in the UFCW Guild, I have never seen my colleagues so mobilized during bargaining.
“We will not stand for UFCW’s hypocritical behavior at the bargaining table any longer. Our Guild is the most unified we have ever been and we refuse to keep staying quiet, whether UFCW likes it or not.”
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