When official nominations posted in our Labor Tribune for your union’s officers closed on July 21, there were no nominations other than your incumbent officers. As a result, all incumbent officers were re-elected by acclamation for a three-year term. The list accompanies this column.
On behalf of your entire Leadership Team, “Thank You” to our membership for your Vote of Confidence in our efforts to grow our Union and the new programs we introduced since I had the honor and privilege of being elected your President and David Politte as your Secretary-Treasurer in 2010:
- Union PROUD program to increase our Union DENSITY in the food industry so that we can win better contracts in the future.
- Monthly job site visits by myself and Brother Politte to LISTEN to your concerns and help chart the Union’s direction.
- LOUD & PROUD Union Button Campaign that we must expand until every member is wearing their UNION PROUD button and becomes a voice of our Union reaching out to the unorganized retail workers coming through our checkout lines.
- VOP (Voluntary Organizing Program) that will give you weekends free from work in exchange for helping the Union protect our market share. That relates directly to better contracts.
- New Social Media outreach efforts via a re-vamped Website, Twitter and Facebook to keep you informed about your Union’s activities and political issues that impact all our lives to encourage your involvement.
- Expanded Shop Stewards Training Pro- grams to give our job site leadership the tools they need to better help you on the job.
And much more.
With the completion of our year-long Food Employers contract negotiations that impacts the majority of our members, we are now ready to once again focus on the common goal Brother Politte and I set when we took office:
To improve the quality of life and stan- dard of living for Local 655’s members and families.
No matter what we do, this goal is the focus of all our efforts.
From me personally, and the entire Leader- ship Team, THANK YOU for the honor – and the opportunity – to continue to lead the finest Local Union in the UFCW and the entire state of Missouri.
UFCW Local 655 elected officials
