Voting and Elections
UFCW voters matter for California.
Safe Prescriptions
UFCW is working to ensure pharmacists have the support to do their most important job: delivering the right medicines, in the right doses and protecting consumers against potentially deadly drug interactions.
Cannabis
The UFCW is the only union representing cannabis workers in California. We are committed to building a successful industry that offers consumers access to safe products and local communities jobs with better wages and benefits.
Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today celebrated Governor Gavin Newsom’s overwhelming victory in the partisan anti-worker recall election. UFCW workers across California, the state’s grocery workers, pharmacists, cannabis workers and other hard-working Californians, knocked on tens of thousands of doors and made hundreds of thousands of phone calls to let their neighbors know their union stood for Gavin Newsom and to vote no on the recall.
“Governor Newsom has stood with workers since day one of his governorship and we knew we had to put our all into making sure he beat back this partisan anti-worker recall,” said Andrea Zinder, President, UFCW Western States Council and UFCW Local 324. “From the onset of the pandemic, Gavin Newsom displayed bold leadership and vision to fight for what’s right, saving our members and millions of other Californians’ lives through quick action on worker safety, paid sick leave and workers’ compensation benefits. We’re glad to be a part of why Governor Newsom can finish out his term and continue to work on behalf of California’s workers.”
“Governor Newsom had our back during the darkest days in recent memory when our members were on the frontlines, facing the brunt of the pandemic, and union members turned out in force to stop this sham of a recall,” said Jim Araby, Director of Strategic Campaigns, UFCW Local 5. “Under Governor Newsom’s continued leadership, California can now ensure California is the best and brightest it can be, including creating quality jobs that support families and communities, and a commitment to affordable health care, criminal justice reform and workers’ right to have a voice on the job.”
“We’re glad California voters saw that Governor Newsom is clearly the best choice to continue leading California, a state that exemplifies progressive values,” said John Grant, President, UFCW Local 770. “Newsom’s leadership is exactly what California needs to continue building a strong economy where workers’ voices are respected and create good jobs and opportunities for our children as our state rises out of the pandemic. We’re glad we will be able to continue working with the Governor to ensure California keeps moving forward.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2021
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]
Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded the California State Senate’s approval of AB 1138 (Rubio), which ensures unlicensed cannabis operators cannot advertise on a website, online service, online application, or mobile application. The following statement may be attributed to Joe Duffle, President, UFCW Local 1167:
“UFCW members have led the cannabis industry here in California and nationwide for over a decade. Standing together we were able to legalize the industry in California and assure voters that strict safeguards would be in place to keep their children and communities safe – including regulations on illegal cannabis advertising. However, one of those safeguards is being bypassed by the illegal cannabis industry. Allowing unlicensed cannabis operators to advertise online puts cannabis consumers in harm’s way. Illegal cannabis businesses don’t have to follow such as required testing for numerous chemicals and other materials. UFCW members are proud the Senate supported AB 1138 and urge the Governor to sign this important legislation into law.”
The United Cannabis Business Association is a co-sponsor of AB 1138 along with UFCW Western States Council.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 9, 2021
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]
Sacramento, CA – The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council today applauded the California State Senate’s approval of AB 1533 (Committee on Business and Professions), which extends the sunset date for the California State Board of Pharmacy until January 1, 2026 and updates penalties for practices that threaten patient safety. The following statement may be attributed to Todd Walters, President, UFCW Local 135:
“In order to keep patients safe, California needs a strong Board of Pharmacy that can hold corporations accountable for patient harming conduct, but the fine amount they can currently levy is laughable at best. The current maximum fine even for large corporate pharmacies with profits in the billions is $5,000, an amount corporations would often rather pay than change harmful practices like understaffing pharmacies and imposing performance based quotas on pharmacists. It’s upsetting to see time and time again corporations putting profits over patients, but with AB 1533’s updated fine structure and improved enforcement of regulations, we can keep our patients safe. We applaud the Senate for supporting this bill and urge the Governor to do the same.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 8, 2021
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]