UFCW 1473- Our Future

We are diverse, inclusive, and on the leading edge of the labor movement. We negotiate strong labor agreements and are extremely successful in enforcing them and protecting the rights of our members. We’re also always here to provide solidarity to other unions and their struggles; we are all in this together and we all face similar challenges. 

In 10 years, UFCW 1473 will be growing stronger through organizing, and continuing to break down barriers in the labor movement and within our industries. We expect to grow our membership by 50% in the next 10 years. 

COVID-19 has been the most challenging thing we’ve gone through, and yet, we are so proud of the work we’ve done and the victories we negotiated for our members. We were able to create change literally overnight in our facilities that kept our members as safe as possible, and in many cases we negotiated hazard pay and other benefits such as paid time off. We’ve seen how immensely employers, first and foremost, and the government, both

in WI and at the federal level, failed our members during this crisis, and we are so proud that we were able to accomplish things that the government could not and employers would not. This is why labor unions are so essential. 

Right To Work is also something we wear as a badge of honor, because although its intention was to weaken labor unions, it actually forced us to be better and stronger. We made huge changes to how we operate as a local in the wake of RTW. Now, our local union is stronger than ever before and we continue to reap the benefits of that in terms of membership growth. We want Scott Walker to know that his plan majorly backfired. 

I think one challenge all unions are facing is how to keep up with the changing times and making sure our contract language is reflective of the diversity within our organization. We are always trying to negotiate the most inclusive language, and language that protects our members and addresses the unique challenges faced by different demographics.