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Dear UFCW Local 1776 Member,
As I mentioned in last week’s message, I would like to spend some time over the next few weeks talking with you about the important issues facing our Local Union. Last week, I highlighted hazard pay, funding for nursing and long-term care homes, pharmacy technician certification, adult-use recreational cannabis and public-sector OSHA protection. This week I am going to highlight paid sick leave, LGBTQ non-discrimination, line speed regulations and the American Dream and Promise Act.
Before I dive into these issues, I want once again ask you to click this link and tell me what your top issues for 2020 are. Thank you to the members who already shared their concerns with me last week, I really appreciate your input!
Paid Sick Leave: Legislation pending in Harrisburg would allow workers to use paid sick leave to recover from an illness, such as COVID-19, for medical appointments, to care for a family member, or to seek help from abuse or violence. This bill would help an estimated 400,000 Pennsylvania workers and their families.
LGBTQ Non-Discrimination: UFCW Local 1776, along with our International, has long led the fight against discrimination based upon race, creed, or sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. We are proud of our UFCW OUTreach initiative, which is dedicated to building mutual support between our union’s International, regions, and locals and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) community and their allies. We recognize that the LGBTQ community is not protected from discrimination in PA and UFCW Local 1776 supports legislative efforts to address this unjust practice in PA.
Line Speed Regulations: UFCW Local 1776 will continue to lead the fight to block the repeated efforts of the Trump Administration and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to eliminate or ease line speed regulations at poultry and other food processing facilities. The quicker workers are forced to move and process chickens, the more likely they are to injure themselves. I recently wrote an op-ed covering this issue that you can read by clicking here.
American Dream and Promise Act: Our 35,000 members are stronger, together because of our diversity. That is why we support this federal legislation, which would provide Dreamers and immigrants eligible for Temporary Protected Status and Deferred Enforced Departure with a pathway to citizenship and permanent protections from deportation. These protections provide a necessary step forward in defending immigrants' rights.
These are just some of the top issues facing our Local Union for this fall’s general election. Please remember to use this link to tell me what your top issues are for this election.
Yours in solidarity,
Wendell Young IV
President
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