UNION MEMBER of the CENTURY! Albert Einstein, Time magazine's "Person of the 20th Century" was a visionary scientist, philosopher, teacher -- and a union member. In fact, he was a founding member of the Princeton Federation of Teachers Local 552, signing its charter in 1938. Look... he was a pretty smart guy, right? Well? What are you waiting for!
UFCW Local 81 Membership FAQs
What is a union?
Are unions still important?
How will joining the union help me?
Who joins unions?
Does the law give me a right to join a union?
Why join UFCW Local 81?
What is collective bargaining?
What happens when my contract expires?
How much will I pay in dues?
What is a steward?
I know some other people who want to join the UFCW. What should I do?
What is a strike?
A labor union is made up of working people who come together to solve problems, build a stronger, healthier workplace and create a better life for their families. Unions give workers a voice about pay, benefits, on-the-job safety, security, management practices and how they get their jobs done. back to top
So much has changed. Are unions still important today?
It’s true. The nature of work is changing. But that means that unions are as important as they ever were—maybe more. Many corporations are putting profits first and their people second. Employers are abandoning their commitment and responsibilities: to provide health insurance and a good pension, to offer reasonable hours and job safety protection.
At the same time, job security and a decent income are threatened by downsizing, the move from full-time to part-time jobs and contracting work out that employees used to do. Workers need a voice more than ever to prevent a return to sweatshop conditions, unlivable wages, 70-hour workweeks and the outsourcing of America’s jobs. back to top
How will joining the union help me?
On average, union workers earn 30 percent more a week than nonunion workers. They are more likely to have better health and retirement benefits. Unions give working people a voice in government, representing them to lawmakers and making sure that politicians remember who voted them into office. back to top
All kinds of workers, from people in the manufacturing and construction industries to teachers, technicians and doctors—and everything in between. No matter what you do for a living, UFCW Local 81 can represent you with vigor in any field. back to top
Does the law give me the right to join a union?
Thanks to the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, most workers in this country have the right to form and join unions. The workers this law does not protect—agricultural workers, railroad personnel, and public employees—are covered by other laws. back to top
As a member of UFCW Local 81, you’ll work alongside other members, with the right to bargain with your employer. Local 81 professionals and trades people earn higher wages—on average 30 percent more—and have better benefits than non-members. Nationally, only 14 percent of non-union workers have a guaranteed pension, 66 percent of union members do. 95 percent of UFCW Local 81 members enjoy great health plans and pensions. Union workers also have a say more often in improving their jobs and working conditions. Download this one-page flier and learn more about the union advantage. back to top
What is collective bargaining?
Collective bargaining (also called contract negotiations) is the heart and soul of the union movement. It happens when workers band together to negotiate workplace matters with their employer. The end result is a contract that spells out all of the terms both parties agree to—from pay rates and benefits to grievance procedures, time off and more. back to top
What happens when my contract expires?
Sometime before an existing contract expires, employees who belong to the union nominate some of their co-workers to represent them alongside the union’s expert negotiators and attorneys. Once a tentative agreement with management is reached, members meet to vote on the contract terms. This is called the ratification process. The new contract goes into effect if a majority of employees approve it. back to top
UFCW Local 81 members pay as little as $6.95 a week in dues— less than a typical water bill. Because we know how hard you work for your pay, we don’t want your dues to be a burden. So our by-laws, drafted by union members, include a democratic process where each member has a secret ballot vote on the pay structure for dues. back to top
Most union stewards have the following duties:
- Monitor and enforce the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement to ensure that both the company and the union worker are living up to the terms.
- Ensure that the company is in compliance with all federal, state and local laws and regulations.
- Represent and defend fellow workers, often through the grievance process, when the firm believes they violated company policy or the terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
I know some other people who want to join the UFCW. What should I do?
Contact us. We will invite them—one by one or as a group, depending on their comfort level—to have a strictly confidential discussion.
If the company does not have a union presence, the first step is a card-check process. The union will present the employer with authorization cards signed by a simple majority (50 percent plus one) of its employees. The employer may voluntarily accept those cards as proof that employees want a union. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) then certifies that union.
If a labor union is trying to organize a company’s workers, a few things will usually happen. The process begins when a union organizer contacts some of the employees (or employees contact the union on their own). The union will gather the signatures of employees who want union representation. The union needs signatures of at least 30 percent of the employees before the NLRB can hold a secret ballot election. back to top
While strikes grab media attention, 99 percent of the thousands of contracts bargained in the U.S. each year are settled without a strike. UFCW Local 81 is more than 100 years old and our last strike happened over 20 years ago.
A strike happens when employees decide together to stop working after contract negotiations break down. A strike is a last resort action and only one percent of contracts bargained ever result in this. Most strikes are called for crucial economic reasons: for wage roll-backs, health benefits, pensions, etc.
When strikers stop working, they do not receive normal paychecks, but get money from the UFCW International Strike Fund in the form of strike benefit checks. UFCW Local 81 also invests a portion of your dues so we can keep a sizable strike fund in the unlikely case you would need it.
Because most contracts have a no-strike clause, if a strike occurs, it is usually after a contract has expired. Before a strike is called, the union informs the company that it intends to hold a strike vote. The goal is to give the company one more opportunity to offer more reasonable contract terms. Employees in the bargaining unit cast their votes by secret ballot. A two-thirds “yes” vote is needed in order to call a strike.
At the end of a strike, when the new contract is negotiated, UFCW Local 81 bargains “amnesty clauses” that allow employees to return to work with full rights under the new contract. back to top
