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 Service Employees International Union (SEIU) California, United Food and Commercial Workers Western States Council and the California Labor Federation today applauded the California State Assembly’s approval of AB 2530 (Wood), which provides timely and affordable access to Covered California insurance for workers who lose health benefits due to a labor dispute.
“Unscrupulous employers will often weaponize workers’ benefits to force them to take less than fair deals on the job, knowing that workers and their families cannot live without healthcare,” said Joseph Bryant, President of SEIU Local 1021 and Executive Board Member of SEIU California. “Workers exercising their right to strike, or workers locked out of the job, shouldn’t live in fear of losing their family’s health insurance when they stand up for themselves and their coworkers during contract negotiations. AB 2530 will ensure workers trying to better their livelihoods through a strike won’t have to weigh keeping their family healthy with earning more on the job. We’re glad the Assembly supported this key public health and worker rights measure.”
“Employers maliciously hold health coverage and other benefits over the heads of workers exercising their labor rights, aiming for workers to take less than what they deserve so their families can get the medicine or care they need to stay healthy,” said Maribel McKinze, Recorder/Political & Organizing Director, UFCW Local 135. “Thousands of our members across the state voted to strike against their grocery store employers earlier this year because they knew they had to stand up for the contract they deserved. AB 2530 will give workers peace of mind and prevent employers from interfering with workers’ rights to strike and obtain the strongest contracts possible. We’re glad the Assembly voted to support this important bill and urge the Senate to do the same.”
“No worker should be denied affordable health care coverage,” said California Labor Federation Executive Secretary-Treasurer Art Pulaski. “By passing AB 2530 today, the Assembly moved a critical protection for striking workers forward. We urge the Senate to follow suit so that no worker on strike loses the health care her family relies upon.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2022
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]
Sacramento, CA – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council applauded the California State Assembly’s passage of AB 2693 (Reyes), which would extend the sunset date for AB 685 (Reyes-2020), the COVID-19 Notification and Reporting Bill, until January 1, 2025. We are again seeing COVID-19 cases rise in California, illustrating why the state must stay vigilant and maintain access to data needed to respond to emerging threats. The following statement may be attributed to Joe Duffle, President, UFCW Local 1167:
“As COVID cases surge in California, it’s essential that we remain prepared to react immediately to prevent the virus from spreading. We’ve seen how COVID spreads rapidly in our workplaces, infecting working people and their families, and ultimately costing them their lives, at disproportionate rates.
“AB 2693’s data tracking requirement is essential to protect workers and the public. UFCW members across the state thank the Assembly for supporting this bill to make sure COVID-19 workplace safety standards remain in place to protect workers. These standards must also be permanently put into place through the proposed Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Permanent Standard for non-healthcare workplaces. Reaching an endemic stage in the COVID-19 fight will require ongoing vigilance; case numbers are spiking now and we know more variants will be ahead. AB 2693 is how we will effectively and efficiently focus COVID-19 resources while protecting workers and our communities.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 23, 2022
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]
Sacramento, CA – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Western States Council applauded the appointment of Jessica Crowley, RPh, to the California State Board of Pharmacy. The Board of Pharmacy is tasked with protecting and promoting the health and safety of Californians by pursuing the highest quality of pharmacist’s care and the appropriate use of pharmaceuticals through education, communication, licensing, legislation, regulation, and enforcement.
“I’m honored by this opportunity from Governor Gavin Newsom to strengthen the profession of pharmacy and pharmacists’ role in patient care by serving on the California Board of Pharmacy,” said Jessica Crowley, RPh. “As California’s population continues to diversify, pharmacists’ roles will continue to expand and they need the proper training and support to provide equitable care for all patients. Through this appointment, I hope to be a voice for the LGBTQ+, Latino and Spanish-speaking population, California’s Black population, and for the younger generation of pharmacists. The practice of Pharmacy provides a pathway for underprivileged and marginalized communities to obtain professional status, and I want to ensure all pharmacists have the cultural competency training needed to provide equitable and quality health care in our diverse state.”
In 2014, Dr. Crowley received her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS). During her time at MCPHS, she received the Professor George Narinian Memorial Scholarship, the Student Achievement Award, the Alpha Collegiate Scholarship, and the Alpha Collegiate Leadership Award two years in a row.
With over 12 years of pharmacy experience, Dr. Jessica Crowley has extensive experience in the profession working as a Pharmacist in Charge, Staff Pharmacist and Pharmacy Intern. She has devoted her career to advocating for safer working conditions for both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in retail pharmacies while upholding the highest level of protection for the patients they serve. As a first generation, mixed Afro-Puerto Rican and White LGBTQ+ identifying individual, she took the initiative and leadership to develop continuing education curriculum on Cultural Competence and its Application in Pharmacy. She has also been a lead diversity and inclusion panelist at Lambda Kappa Sigma’s annual convention and MCPHS.
“Throughout the many years I’ve known Jessie, she has been a tireless advocate for pharmacists, patients and all Californians, said Kathy Finn, Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW Local 770. “Her passion for and knowledge about how pharmacists, and especially young, diverse pharmacists, can contribute to community health will ensure patients are kept safe and are provided the highest quality care possible.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2022
Contact: Jenna Thompson, 949.246.1620, [email protected]