2024 was a pretty successful year for Local 1500 membership. Our members were involved in everything from Blank Street Coffee negotiations and their successful inaugural contract to organizing Partners Coffee workers at their shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. We had another successful scholarship presentation and breakfast and a fun and well-attended NYC Labor Day Parade. We held four great General Membership Meetings along with several successful Local 1500 charity fundraisers to help raise money for multiple charities in need. That’s a lot of success in one paragraph!
Our Kosher division members held a successful card check at Aron’s Kissena Farms in Queens, plus successful negotiations and (unanimous!!) ratification of our first-ever contract at Gourmet Glatt in Lakewood, NJ.
Local 1500 members participated in many successful grievances and even several successful arbitrations this year. We held our first in-person Shop Steward Seminar in five years, which was a huge success. And that was just a quick snapshot of our year.
I’d like to thank our members who were involved in any of the above events – you made 2024 a great one. I also want to thank all other members for everything you do every day that makes this union great. Even the smallest gesture to help your coworkers can go a long way. Let us not forget everyone who attended several International Workers’ Memorial Day tributes this year.
There were many other events that took place, where Local 1500 Officers and staff attended trainings, meetings, and conferences this year. From the Long Island Federation of Labor’s Leadership trainings to a meeting with the (then) president of Stop & Shop, Gordon Reid, to the UFCW Legislative and Political Action Conference and several other conventions and conferences, there are just too many to list. We loaned out a representative or two to help other UFCW Locals with their campaigns across the country. We even received a visit from none other than the UFCW International President, Marc Perrone, who fit us into his extremely tight schedule and came to our headquarters and addressed our staff.
2024 was jam-packed with events, but what will always be most important is the excellent level of service that our representatives maintain for our membership every day, no matter what else they may be assigned to attend.
The clock keeps ticking around here, so we always have to look forward to the horizon. 2025 is upon us and we are getting ready for everything it has in store for us, and we have some big challenges aheadthisyear. Wehavecontractnegotiationsforthelargestsegment of our membership – Stop & Shop, whose contract expires on June
28th, 2025. We will also be negotiating the first post-acquisition VSM Fairway contract, which expires on May 6th, 2025, just to name a couple. So, we have a lot of work ahead of us in the first half of the year, and we will be holding contract proposal meetings early in the year. Please be on the lookout for them because these meetings are critical for the respective membership to attend. This is especially your time to express your wants and needs, and make sure they are heard. It’s only once every few years that you get to help shape and determine your future working conditions, so don’t miss out!
I always say that if you can make it to a football game in the middle of winter, a baseball game on a scorching summer day, or you basically fought people to get tickets to that very special concert that you just had to attend…then you really should be able to make it to your union meetings that concern, among other just-as-important items, your PAY. You know, the paycheck that enables you to enjoy those other things in life. Always remember that you can take part in the process that involves your rate of pay, your PTO, and all other benefits that are critical to your livelihoods. Maybe I’m a little biased, but from my point of view, and in my humble opinion, your union meetings should be at the top of your list of events you attend in 2025. This wage increase stuff doesn’t happen automatically – it can be a serious fight to get you the money you both need and deserve, and I need your help at the bargaining table. And when I say at the bargaining table, I mean at the actual table across from your company officials AND back at the shops supporting the folks who are at the table. So, I need different forms of help from all of you. And although I’m saying “I” because I want to make it a more personal request, the truth is – your bargaining team needs you.
Among other things on the agenda for 2025 I will be visiting you out in the shops, discussing your working conditions; discussing what you would like to see in your next contract, talking to you about attending your proposal meetings and how the process works. I’ll also be looking for candidates to get more involved with their union. Whether it be negotiating their contract, attending events, or helping out on special assignments, there is no shortage of work to be done in 2025. In fact, we are going to be running out of the gate right after the new year. We’re gearing up, and you should be too.
Again, thank you for being a member of our great union. Each of you is what makes this union great, never forget that. I’ve been a Local 1500 member since I was sixteen years old, and I wouldn’t change that for the world.
And at this special time of the year, also always remember: You make the holidays happen!!
HappyNewYeareveryone!