unionwize march-april 2012

from the president’s desk …

Affordable Care Act: Where Do We Stand?

As this article is published, we are waiting for a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court on the constitution-ality of this law. Health care for all Americans has long been the dream of presidents such as John F. Ken-nedy, Lyndon Johnson, Bill Clinton and even Republican presidents like Richard Nixon. Finally, that dream became a reality under the leadership of Barack Obama, with help from Democrats in Congress.

Currently, it is unclear how the nine justices will rule, choosing to re-affirm the law or strike it down in part or in full. What I do know is that as long as unions have existed, we have bargained for our members to have employer-paid health care.

The ideals behind PPACA are worthwhile and have been champi-oned by organized labor for decades. But, like any improvements to your contract, health care changes due to the new law will require smart bargaining that balances the cost of these improvements with fairness to our membership. Actually, the big-

gest hurdle surrounding PPACA comes from the numerous challenges being posed to the legislation and the uncer-tainty that arises as various legal cases get sorted out in the courts.

Effects on bargaining

Health care costs have continued to climb, and predicting where those health care costs will go is vital to the quality of your contract. If we allot a great sum of money to protect the quality of your health care, then that diminishes the amount of money avail-able for raises. If we do not account for enough money in the health care plan, then we are left with a plan that does not affordably meet the needs of our members. This is a problem for all of us.

Unfortunately, as we go into ne-gotiations, there is so much we don’t know about the future of PPACA:

• As mentioned earlier, there are questions about whether all or parts of the Act will be modi-

FCW Local 1059 recently met with Kroger stewards at our Regional Bar-gaining Conference. The big topic of discussion was how health care would affect our bargaining, particularly in light of the Patient Protection and Af-

fordable Care Act (PPACA). The talk that day was aimed specifically at upcoming Kroger negotiations, but health care bargaining has always been a huge priority for all of Local 1059’s contracts.

President Randy Quickel

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fied through legal challenges or through additional legislation.

• Partly because of this legal un-certainty, not all of the specifics of PPACA have been ironed out. Influential and encompassing legislation requires legislative and administrative rulemaking to provide the details necessary for day-to-day enactment. This was the case with Social Security and the Civil Rights Act, and it will be an ongoing process with PPACA as well.

PPACA specifics

On March 23, 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act became law. The statute includes provisions that require all companies with over 50 employees to offer health insurance. It also gives individuals and small employers the ability to purchase insurance through a market-place called an exchange. I’ll talk more about exchanges later.

UFCW LOCAL 1059 MARCH/APRIL 2012 VOL. 34 NO. 2

continued on page 3…

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s officers’ reportsRandy Quickel, President ...........................................1 “Affordable Care Act: Where Do We Stand?”

Mark Fluharty, Secretary-Treasurer .............................5 “My Real Hourly Rate”

Mark Hertenstein, Service Director ............................6 “The Importance of the Time Clock”

Allie Petonic, Political Director ................................10 “Let the People Choose the Politicians”

Tina Morgan, Organizing Director .............................7 “Safety in the Workplace is Everyone’s Concern”

Paul Smithberger, Communications Director ...........11“Discounted Tickets Now Available Online”

Rick Gregory, Education Director ............................13 “We’re All Turkeys”

featuresLocal 1059 Volunteers Help The Mid-Ohio Foodbank ...................................5

2012 Local 1059 Ticket Prices ....................................8

Don’t Dismantle the U.S. Postal Service ....................10

Employer & Negotiation Updates .............................12

Ray Collier Memorial Scholarship ............................14

Contact UFCW Local 1059 by calling 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488 and entering your party’s extension:Neil Hertenstein ..................................217Jason Kaseman ....................................240John King ............................................204Diana Marlette ....................................239Tina Morgan .......................................235Mike Nichols ......................................214Brian Perkins .......................................244Allie Petonic ........................................241Mack Quesenberry ..............................209

John Smith ..........................................203Paul Smithberger .................................250Carlos Stiffler ......................................218Administrative Office ..........................223Dues Office .........................................229Organizing Director ............................235Service Director ...................................205

Allison Appel .......................................216J.R. Berroyer .......................................206Anthony Bridges .................................242Sylvester Carothers ..............................236Mark Derson .......................................238Bobbie Fletcher ...................................215Tom Gartner .......................................237Rhonda Helcher ..................................211Mark Hertenstein ................................205

officers

UFCW Local 1059 UnionWize (USPS 567- 310) is published bi-monthly by UFCW Local 1059 at 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus OH 43213-2962. Periodicals Postage Paid at Columbus, OH.

Postmaster: Send address change to UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus 43213-2962.

Letters to the Editor intended for publication are welcome and should be addressed to UFCW Local 1059, 4150 E. Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43213. They should include the writer’s full name, address, union affiliation, company, store number, and its location. Letters may be edited for clarity or space.

Paul Smithberger Tina MorganCommunications Director Organizing Director

Mark Hertenstein Allie PetonicService Director Political Director

Rick Gregory Jason KasemanEducation Director Technology Specialist

Vice PresidentsSteve Allen John Angeloff Allison Appel J. R. BerroyerLouis Cruse Frank GermanJosh Greenlee Rhonda HelcherMark Hertenstein Lonnie NewmanCheryl Hoffman Mike Nichols Brian Perkins Carol Prater Dave Renneckar Jim Ryder Gene Smith John Smith Juanita Smith Keith Smith Kim Smith Carlos Stiffler

Union RepresentativesAllison Appel J. R. BerroyerAnthony Bridges Sylvester CarothersMark Dersom Barbara FletcherTom Gartner Rhonda HelcherNeil Hertenstein John King Diana Marlette Mike Nichols Brian Perkins Mack Quesenberry John Smith Carlos Stiffler

Randy QuickelPresident/Editor

Mark FluhartySecretary-Treasurer

Barbara FletcherRecorder

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vol. 34 / no. 2 UNIONWIZE

UFCW Local 1059 | 4150 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213 | www.ufcw1059.com

The first pieces of PPACA were enacted in 2011 and continue a gradual rollout through 2014 and beyond. Many of these changes have been invis-ible to our membership because many of our members currently have com-prehensive health care. But, in some cases, this new legislation has created additional costs that I will outline. In all cases, this only improves health care quality for our members. It will also make health care available sooner to some of our members. As you can un-derstand, though, when we offer health insurance earlier, it also drives up the cost of the health care plan.

Here are some of the provisions of PPACA and how they affect your health insurance:

1. Parents can cover children with-out health insurance up to age 26. Most of our negotiated contracts had previously allowed members to cover their dependents up to age 19 or, if the child was in college, often to age 23.

Many of our members have already benefited from this change. How fortunate to be able to cover children that would not have had coverage otherwise. A prime ex-ample is the child who graduates from college and tries to find a job. Perhaps they are lucky and find employment after a short search, but, in that interim, they would have had no health insurance. This is a great benefit.

2. Lifetime insurance limits have been eliminated. In our plans, we had annual limits and lifetime limits. We wanted to limit each plan’s li-ability, much like when you buy in-surance for your house or car. From a cost-saving standpoint, those limits made sense. But, imagine you’re someone just diagnosed with cancer, facing a future of extraordi-

nary medical bills. For that person, such limits pose a real problem. Lifetime limits have already ended for our membership, and annual limits will be gone by 2014.

3. Insurance coverage cannot be de-nied due to pre-existing conditions. I’m sure some of us have been hired for a job only to find out that a particular medical condition would not be covered. In our negotiated plans, however, we have never al-lowed exclusion due to pre-existing conditions. Now, all Americans will enjoy that benefit.

4. Wellness care has been significantly expanded. Wellness care is a win for everyone. By making annual checkups or physicals free to the member, that increases the use of these examinations. Sometimes, this allows the doctor to catch a life-threatening disease early or provide consultation that can improve your well-being, thereby keeping you healthy and saving the plan from the expenses that come with treating serious or chronic problems. Our members get free medical exams, employers have healthy workers and our insurance plans can avoid costly procedures.

Under the direction of the Department of Health and Human Services, PPACA is already expand-

ing the number of wellness ben-efits, including exams and lifestyle counseling, which will be covered at 100% by our insurance plans.

5. Health care coverage becomes available after 3 months to work-ers who average 30 hours or more. Some Local 1059 contracts already offer a health care option after 3 months. However, for the majority of our members, health care is not offered until after 9 months. After this portion of the Act takes effect, all qualifying Local 1059 members will have a health care option fol-lowing 3 months of service.

Health insurance exchanges

The Act has also mandated states to establish health insurance marketplaces for individuals uncovered by their employers. These centralized resources where people can purchase health care are called “exchanges.” By providing transparent, one-stop locations for people to compare and buy a plan, clear market competition should drive prices lower.

Figure 1 shows the different levels of plans to be offered. The term “full actuarial value” refers to the percentage of health insurance paid by the employ-er. The higher the percentage of cost covered, the better and more expensive the plan. The Young Invincible plan

from the president’s desk ……continued from page 1

continued on page 4…

Figure 1: Insurance level options

Platinum: benefits actuarially equivalent to 90% of the full actuarial value of the benefits provided under the planGold: 80% of the full actuarial value Silver: 70% of the full actuarial value Bronze: 60% of the full actuarial valueYoung Invincible (catastrophic plan under 30)

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UNIONWIZE MARCH/APRIL 2012


from the president’s desk ……continued from page 3

would be similar to our current high deductible health plans: They would handle catastrophic coverage, but you would have a very high deductible to make the cost relatively cheap.

A majority of states have either set up exchanges already or are well on their way. In Ohio, however, we have not made any progress on our state’s exchange. On March 1, The Columbus Dispatch published an article examining Ohio’s problem. Governor John Kasich appointed Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor to oversee the development of Ohio’s exchange. Taylor is also the Director of the Ohio Insurance Depart-ment. As the Dispatch article points out, absolutely nothing has been done to develop Ohio’s statewide exchange.

When confronted about her failure to accomplish any progress on the exchange, the Lieutenant Governor dis-owned any responsibility and blamed the Obama administration. This is pure

obstructionist politics. As I noted, a majority of states have already devel-oped their exchanges. Unfortunately, Lt. Governor Taylor’s delinquency is being supported by Governor Kasich and Republicans in the legislature.

Though PPACA continues to change, that does not prevent anyone from forging ahead as best they can to be ready for what is to come. In fact, that is exactly what this union is doing for our membership, preparing for the future despite considerable uncertainty.

We receive near-weekly updates pertaining to the implementation of PPACA. And things could change again after the Supreme Court decides to uphold the Act in full, strike it down in full or any combination of modifica-tions in between.

Hopefully, when the U.S. Supreme Court issues their opinion in June, many of our questions will finally be answered. Unfortunately, my gut tells

me that even a legal decision will not provide us with a clear path. Op-ponents will continue to fight the most important legislative health care achievement in generations even if the Court decides in favor of the Obama administration. Should the law be deemed unconstitutional, we will again find ourselves under the old system, which has proven unsustainable.

Going forward, we will negotiate contracts that protect your benefits while maximizing your paycheck. And we will continue to do our best to navi-gate the ever-changing waters of health care reform, always remembering that no change worth making has ever come without challenges worth overcoming.

UFCW Local 1059 Softball TournamentSaturday, June 23, 2012

Whitehall Community ParkOne-day tournament • Double elimination • Up to 12 teams

$50 entry fee/team • All teams must be made of Local 1059 members

For more information, contact Paul Smithberger at 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488, ext. 250.

Team name: ________________________________________________________________________

Name of coach: ___________________________________ Phone: ___________________________

Address: _______________________________________________ Employer: __________________

City: _______________________________________ State: _______ Zip: ____________________

Enclosed: $ _________________ Send payment to: UFCW Local 1059 4150 East Main Street Columbus, OH 43213

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My Real Hourly Rateby Mark Fluharty, Secretary-Treasurer

f you’ve followed the

articles I have written since becoming Secretary-

Treasurer, you can probably see that I have a passion for collective bargain-ing and politics, both important issues to workers today. This time, I would like to talk about our members’ hourly wage and what it really means.

We all have an hourly rate that our employer pays us, but there is much more to it than just the money earned each day. Our actual hourly wage has many factors built into it such as health care, retirement, vacation, sick leave pay, bereavement leave, jury duty pay, holiday pay, overtime pay after 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week, and on and on.

These factors are all part of your true hourly rate of pay. Your employer also calculates their portion of payroll taxes such as Social Security, Medicare and unemployment compensation in the hourly rate.

In order to get your true hourly rate of pay, take your pay rate and—de-pending on your employer—add an ad-ditional five to seven dollars per hour. Every contract negotiates these benefits into the actual cost of an employee’s wages per hour. Negotiating each ad-

ditional day off costs around another five to ten cents per hour.

That doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but, depending on the size of the bargaining unit, it can become quite ex-pensive. The cost of health care is on the rise at a rate around 9.5% every year, which has been absorbing the majority of negotiated dollars in bargain-ing in an effort to maintain health care benefits. This leaves little money left to improve fringe ben-efits and wages.

From time to time, members will tell me that they can make more mon-ey per hour working somewhere else. I answer them by pointing out this very issue: Your hourly wage is not just your per hour rate. Be careful not to fall into the trap where “the grass is greener on the other side of the fence” because, often, you’ll find that it’s not. The contracts we work under have many benefits which non-union employers don’t offer their workers, especially if you’re a part-time worker in retail. And if you ever serve on a negotiating com-mittee, you are sure to hear this fact from the employer sitting on the other side of the bargaining table.

Here is another thing to consider when thinking about your wages:

When will you get your next wage increase and how much will it be? For many workers, these are questions they cannot answer. However, your union contract answers those questions and guarantees them.

Employers always come to the bar-gaining table and complain that their non-union competitors have an unfair advantage when it comes to the cost of paying their employees. Union mem-bers, on average, make around $2,500 more in wages and benefits than their non-union counterparts. Remember, workers help make their employers profitable. Having a union ensures that your voice is heard so companies share that success with the employees who deserve it.

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Local 1059 Volunteers Help The Mid-Ohio Foodbank

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but the company also has a right to make sure that they get their money’s worth. The responsibility of providing some kind of timekeeping system falls on the company, but it’s your respon-sibility to use it. Don’t expect or allow someone else to clock in for you.

Our employers use a variety of time clock systems. Some systems are tied to your register, some track you with a slide of your employee card and, of course, many employers still use the standard time clock. Whatever system your employer uses, only you can prevent a time clock violation. A time clock violation is any attempt to claim wages for work done while not clocked in. This type of violation could lead to discipline up to and including discharge.

Accepting payment for time not worked puts your job in jeopardy. It’s not quite “Big Brother” watching over you, but most employers have cameras and paid security to watch out for the company’s interests. One of their re-sponsibilities is monitoring time loss or “time theft,” as they like to call it.

Most of the companies that employ our members have one or two people who handle payroll. If there is a ques-tion about a discrepancy on a particular

by Mark Hertenstein, Service Director

punch, part of their job is to make sure you get paid for time worked. Do not attempt to put someone else’s job on the line by asking them to override your time punch if it is not warranted.

I’m not saying that there are not circumstances where an override is per-fectly legitimate, though. For example, a customer may stop you as you come in for the day or return from break. A supervisor might even stop you before you can punch in. If that is the case, you must notify someone immediately so your time can be adjusted.

Part of my job as Service Director of Local 1059 is to educate the mem-bership on problems that arise on a regular basis. Time clock violations are among the most common problems. It really is in everyone’s interest to be diligent and truthful about when your work begins and ends. For the member, this is the primary method for identify-ing when someone is working so they can be paid for that time. For the com-pany, their time clock system ensures that employees are doing the work for which they were hired. A good day’s work for a good day’s pay is the foun-dation of a fair working environment.

ast is-sue’s

article dealt with social

media outlets and the repercussions of using them to disparage your employer. While popular, only a portion of our membership uses those services. This article is going to deal with a subject that affects every one of you: punching the clock.

All of our contracts have some kind of language that prohibits “free” or “time-off-the-clock” work. This means you have to be “punched in” to be com-pensated for your work. The Union’s motto has always been: “A good day’s work for a good day’s pay.” It is your responsibility to punch the clock when you come in for the day, take a break, come back from break, take a lunch, come back from lunch, take your last break, come back from break and, finally, when you leave for the day.

Do not be the person saying you forgot to punch in. Did you forget to put your pants on this morning? Punching in and out should be that basic. Having a job comes with rights and responsibilities. You have a right to expect a paycheck for doing your job,

The Importance of the Time Clock

Grievance reportJanuary-March 2012

Grievance Success Rate ......... 77%

Grievances Settled ................. 256

Monetary Awards ...... $62,293.45

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Union Representa-tive Tom Gartner presents infant car seats to Jennifer and James Sheridan (both of Kroger 350), with their twins Addison Hope and Brooklyn Faith.

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lose your eyes

and imagine you are driv-

ing to work. What are you thinking about during that drive? How much you have to do today? What’s for din-ner tonight? How much you’re looking forward to your vacation next week? I doubt any of you are thinking that you could be one of the 12 Americans that will die on the job today.

I would suggest to you that, when deadly incidents happen at work, we want to call them accidents because no one starts their day thinking they might die on the job.

When injuries happen at work, we want to immediately blame the company for faulty equipment or poor training. While that is often true, there is plenty of blame to spread around. As employees, we must be safe as well.

Don’t ignore that little voice in your head. You know the voice I’m talking about: It’s the voice that alerts us when something is wrong. We all have one.

Listen to your gut when something feels unsafe. Unfortunately, our senses are often numb during the workday because of routine and repetition. Sometimes we’re pressured to do more

than we can, so we take shortcuts. We don’t always follow safety procedures exactly or we allow ourselves to get careless, but nothing happens. Well, nothing has happened yet. That kind of thinking could put you or a coworker in a dangerous situation. Those short-cuts become bad habits that can get you hurt.

We usually don’t hear about Americans who die on the job unless the number of deaths is high. Re-cently, we’ve heard a lot about deadly conditions in Chinese plants such as Foxconn, but rarely are we told about numerous workplace deaths that oc-cur each and every day in the United States. Why don’t we hear about those deaths?

In 2010, there were 4,547 on-the-job deaths nationwide and an addi-tional 50,000 workers die from occu-pational diseases each year.

Ohio has its own memorial to those workers who lose their lives on the job. The Harry E. Richter Work-ers Memorial Park is located at the intersection of W. Long Street and N. Front Street in downtown Columbus. Every spring, UFCW Local 1059 staff and other Ohio labor leaders clean up the park, plant flowers, spread mulch, paint and otherwise prepare the site for the annual ceremony honoring Ohio’s

fallen workers during the past year. We encourage our members to join us on May 5 each year for this solemn gathering. The box to the right breaks down Ohio workplace fatalities for 2010, the most recent year for which data is available.

Here are the top three causes of worker deaths in the state of Ohio:

1. The most frequent cause of on-the-job

deaths involved highway incidents affecting truckers, delivery work-ers and construction workers.

2. Homicide at work is the next most prominent cause. Workplace vio-lence in Ohio is also the number one cause of death on the job for retail workers and for working women overall.

3. The third most frequent cause of death in the workplace concerns workers caught in, crushed in or compressed by equipment/objects.

Sadly, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is not growing fast enough to inspect and regulate the vast number of danger-ous working environments across the country. Often, OSHA can only act after life has been lost. Thankfully, organized workers have a consistent voice for their safety as unions observe the workplace on a regular basis, hold-ing companies to their responsibilities when necessary.

Still, no precaution beats your own good sense and careful consideration. If you see a safety problem, inform your company and your union immediately. Pay attention, stay safe and don’t be another statistic!

Safety in the Workplace is Everyone’s Concernby Tina Morgan, Organizing Director

C 2010 ohio Worker deaths

Total Fatalities ...........................156Demographics: Male ................................. 90% White................................ 88% Black ................................... 5% Hispanic ............................. 5%

The Harry E. Richter Workers Memorial Park


2012 local 1059 ticket pricestheme parks & water parks movie theaters

Kings Island6300 Kings Island Drive, Mason, OH513.754.5700www.visitkingsisland.comLocal 1059 prices:adult .................................... $31 (reg. $53.99)junior (under 48”) ................ $28 (reg. $32.99)senior (age 62+) ................. $28 (reg. $32.99)children age 2 and under .... free All tickets allow free admission after 5:00 pm the night before you wish to spend a full day at the park.Tickets are sold until October 20.

Great Wolf Lodge Cincinnati2501 Great Wolf Drive, Mason, OH

Great Wolf Lodge Sandusky4600 Milan Road, Sandusky, OH

Visit www.greatwolf.com or call 800.913.9653 through December 30, 2012 to make reservations. Use corporate code UFCW432A to receive 15% off of the best available room rate, including wa-terpark admission for the duration of your stay. Members should have their union card to prove affiliation at check-in.

Kalahari Resorts7000 Kalahari Drive, Sandusky, OH877.525.2427www.kalahariresorts.com

Discount availability varies. Log in to the Members Area of www.ufcw1059.com, or call 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488 ext. 233 and speak with Julie for information on the latest discounts.

AMC TheatresLocations include:- Dublin Village 18- Lennox Town Center 24- Easton Town Center 30www.amctheatres.comTickets may be used towards admission to any movie without restriction. All tickets through Local 1059 are $6.50 (reg. $6.50–$9.50). 3D movies may require additional charges at theater.

Marcus TheatresLocations include:- Columbus- Pickeringtonwww.marcustheatres.comTickets may be used towards admission to any movie without restriction. All tickets through Local 1059 are $6.50 (reg. $7.50–$10.50). 3D movies may require additional charges at theater.

Rave Motion PicturesLocations include:- Polaris 18, Columbus- Grove City 14, Grove City- Fallen Timbers 14, Maumee- Levis Commons 12, Perrysburg- Franklin Park 16, Toledowww.ravemotionpictures.comTickets may be used towards admission to any movie without restriction. All tickets through Local 1059 are $6.50 (reg. $6.50–$9.75). 3D movies may require additional charges at theater.

Tri City Theatre972 East Main Street, Jackson, OHwww.tricitytheatre.comAll tickets through Local 1059 are $4.00 (reg. $6.50). 3D tickets will cost an additional $2.00 at the ticket booth when accompanied by the UFCW $4.00 ticket.

Cedar Point1 Cedar Point Drive, Sandusky, OH419.627.2350www.cedarpoint.com

Local 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $36 (reg. $51.99)junior (under 48”) ................ $18 (reg. $26.99)senior (age 62+) ................. $18 (reg. $26.99)children age 2 and under .... free

more than five tickets adult .................................... $39junior (under 48”) ................ $20senior (age 62+) ................. $20children age 2 and under .... free

2-day adult Cedar Point & Soak City pass up to five tickets .................. $70 (reg. $82.99)more than five tickets.......... $78 Tickets are sold until October 20.

Soak City Cedar PointPerimeter Road, Sandusky, Ohiowww.soakcitycp.com

Local 1059 prices:up to five tickets .................. $22 (reg. $32.99)more than five tickets.......... $27children age 2 and under .... free Tickets are sold until August 31.

Zoombezi Bay4853 West Powell Road, Powell, OH614.645.3550www.zoombezibay.com

Local 1059 prices:adult .................................... $26 (reg. $32.99)child (ages 2–9) .................. $22 (reg. $24.99)senior (age 60+) ................. $22 (reg. $24.99)children under age 2 ........... free Tickets are sold until August 31.


UFCW

2012 local 1059 ticket pricesrecreation special events

Theme park and water park tickets are valid during the park’s normal operating schedule. Tickets are non-refundable and non-replaceable if lost or stolen. UFCW Local 1059 reserves the right to limit the number of tickets purchased at one time. MasterCard, Visa and Discover are accepted for online purchases in the Members Area of www.ufcw1059.com and for phone orders called in to 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488. Cash or credit card purchases can also be made at the UFCW Local 1059 office between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Toledo Zoo2 Hippo Way, Toledo, OH419.385.5721www.toledozoo.orgLocal 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $10 (reg. $14)child (ages 2–11) .................. $6 (reg. $11)senior (ages 60+) ................. $6 (reg. $11)children under age 2 ........... free

more than five tickets adult .....................................$11child (ages 2–11) .................. $8senior (ages 60+) ................. $8children under age 2 ........... freeTickets are sold until November 2.

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium4850 West Powell Road, Powell, OH800.666.5397www.colszoo.orgLocal 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $10 (reg. $14.99)child (ages 2–9) .................... $5 (reg. $9.99)senior (ages 60+) ................. $5 (reg. $10.99)children under age 2 ........... free

more than five tickets adult .................................... $12child (ages 2–9) .................... $7senior (ages 60+) ................. $7children under age 2 ........... freeTickets are sold until December 15.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH513.281.4700www.cincinnatizoo.orgLocal 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $10 (reg. $15)child (ages 2–12) .................. $6 (reg. $10)senior (age 62+) ................... $6 (reg. $10)children under age 2 ........... free

more than five tickets adult .................................... $13child (ages 2–12) .................. $8senior (age 62+) ................... $8children under age 2 ........... freeTickets are sold until December 15.

Newport AquariumOne Aquarium Way, Newport, KY859.261.7444www.newportaquarium.orgLocal 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $20 (reg. $23)child (ages 2–12) ................ $13 (reg. $15)children under age 2 ........... free

more than five tickets adult .................................... $21child (ages 2–12) ................ $13children under age 2 ........... freeTickets are sold until December 15.

The Jet ExpressPut-in-Bay boat line800.245.1538www.jet-express.comShow your union card and get $2 off each ticket! Valid on up to six tickets.

Kings Island Local 1059 PicnicTuesday, June 26 and Saturday, July 28Local 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $30junior (under 48”) ................ $20senior (age 62+) ................. $20children age 2 and under .... free


Tickets must be purchased in advance. Pre-paid parking available: $6.00 the night before and $6.00 the day of the picnic.

Ticket price includes:• admission the day of the picnic• free admission the night before (after

5:00 pm)—we offer pre-paid parking for $6 (reg. $12)

• lunch served from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, which includes Southern fried chicken, hot dogs, Montgomery pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad, ice cream treats and soft drinks

Cedar Point Member Appreciation DayWednesday, July 11 and Sunday, October 14Local 1059 prices:up to five tickets adult .................................... $24junior (under 48”) ................ $13senior (age 62+) ................. $13children age 2 and under .... free


Buy tickets in advance or at the main gate from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm the day of the event—look for the Local 1059 booth.

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in such a secretive process. Any party could exploit the process, and that’s why the design of districts should be left to a non-partisan commission of voters.

How will a new process be bet-ter? A politically independent Citizens Commission would draw both state legislative and congressional districts if voters approve a November ballot initiative that UFCW Local 1059 and a coalition of public interest organiza-tions are currently circulating. Under present law, state legislative districts are drawn by a partisan board and congres-sional districts are drawn by the state legislature. This has resulted in unfair plans being constructed behind closed doors. The proposed initiative would take redistricting out of the hands of incumbent politicians and would place it in the hands of an impartial Citizens Commission.

The Ohio Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission—composed of equal numbers of Republicans, Democrats and independents, reflect-ing the diversity of our state—would be required to draw fair districts, which do not favor or disfavor a particular party or candidate. District boundaries

would be drawn to promote fairness, competitiveness, compactness and the preservation of existing communities. Paid lobbyists, incumbents and others with a personal or financial interest in elections would be barred from serving on the Citizens Commission.

Once again, we can only suc-ceed with committed volunteers who will help circulate petitions to collect 386,000 valid signatures from across the state by July 4, 2012. To become a trained circulator and put Voters First on the ballot, contact your steward or reach me at 614.237.7671, extension 241. Visit www.votersfirst.org to learn more about this issue.

Let the People Choose the Politiciansby Allie Petonic, Political Director

nti-work-er

legislation sponsored

by corporate-backed members of the Ohio General Assembly and the U.S. House is a by-product of partisan redistricting. Every decade, the redis-tricting process is controlled by a small set of powerful politicians. This year, though, voters have an opportunity to fix this problem!

Politicians use the redistricting process to protect their reelection by choosing to include certain areas that would reliably vote for them while excluding others. The result is a politi-cally slanted district. When politicians no longer have to worry about jeopar-dizing their reelection, they take chanc-es by sponsoring the kinds of radical bills that have recently come out of our legislature.

Voters First is the coalition backing an initiative which would allow voters to choose their politicians instead of the other way around. Just take a look at the current map of congressional districts to see how distorted district shapes can get when politicians work

A

Ohio congressional districts

Don’t Dismantle the U.S. Postal ServiceThe Postal Service is critical to our economy—delivering mail, medicine and

packages on time and at an affordable price, without a dime of taxpayer money.

SUPPORT OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS IN THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS

Senate Bill 1789 would:• Jeopardize Saturday delivery • Phase out door-to-door mail service

for 35 million people• Eliminate good-paying union jobs

Call Senator Rob Portman at 888.863.6103 and tell him to

vote NO on S. 1789

11



Discounted Tickets Now Available Onlineby Paul Smithberger, Communications Director

pring is here again

and, with it, great weather for outdoor fun with family and friends. This year, UFCW Local 1059 is able to offer online access to all of our discounted tick-ets to theme parks, water parks and other recreation spots. We see this as a great convenience for our mem-bership. Now, credit card orders can be placed at any time day or night, and we will have your tickets in the mail on the next weekday of business operations.

Though we have had a tremen-dous response from our membership, many Local 1059 members have not yet logged in to the Members Area of our website. If it is your first visit to www.ufcw1059.com, you will want to click on the Members Area link in the right-hand side of the site’s navi-gation bar. From there, you should click the link to establish your login

username and password. After filling in your name, the last four digits of your Social Security number and cre-ating your own login username and password, click the register button. If you are unable to register, feel free to contact the Local 1059 office.

Once you are in the Members Area, click on the button to order event tickets and you will see a list of all the discounted tickets offered to UFCW Local 1059 members. Then, once you submit your order, our of-fice will process your credit card and mail your tickets the next business day.

Many parks now offer tickets visi-tors can order online and print from their computer. We are excited to also offer discounted print-at-home tickets to our members. If print-at-home tickets are available for your destination, you will find informa-tion guiding you through the order-ing process on the tickets page of the Members Area.

The print-at-home option is currently available for tickets to Newport Aquarium and the Cincin-nati Zoo, but we are working with other parks to be able to add that option for more locations in the future. Print-at-home tickets are still discounted from the park’s main gate prices, but they are generally more expensive than our regular ticket discounts.

UFCW Local 1059 is always happy to make these offers available to our membership, and we hope these deals help bring affordability and fun to the seasons ahead.

S

Two-Man Golf Leagueat Westchester Golf Course

Hit the links with UFCW Local 1059. Our 10-week golf league will start on Monday, April 30th. The cost is $200/person ($20 for each week of play). Each team needs at least one Local 1059 member.Your $200 includes 9-hole green fees and golf cart rentals for each of the 10 weeks.Tee times start at 5:00 pm.

For more information, contact Paul Smithberger at 614.237.7671, ext. 250

12



Employer & Negotiation Updates

Contract Extensions

• Illinois. Bargaining continues for two UFCW locals in Illinois. The contract with Local 881 expired in May 2010. The Local 536 contract expired in September 2009.

• Memphis. Negotiations continue between the Kroger Company and UFCW Local 1529 while Tennessee’s members enter their sixth month working under a contract extension. Health insurance-related issues continue to be a major factor for the long bargaining period.

• LasVegas. Workers at Smith’s, a Kroger-owned grocery chain in Nevada, have extended their contract as negotiations continue. The contract between Kroger and UFCW Local 711 expired on February 26, 2012.

• Louisville. UFCW Local 227, based in Kentucky, has entered a contract extension as negotiations continue. Health care bargaining remains the primary cause of the delay. The contract expired on March 31, 2012.

Contract Expirations

• Indianapolis. The contract with UFCW Local 700 expires on May 12, 2012.

• Nashville. The contract with UFCW Local 1995 expires on May 19, 2012.

• Dayton. The contract with UFCW Local 75 expires on June 16, 2012.

• Portland. The contract with UFCW Local 555 in Oregon expires on July 28, 2012.

New Technology

• Ada. Ohio Northern University is the test location for a new robotic grocery kiosk stocked with Kroger products. The 10-by-13 foot vending machine is refrigerated, fully automated and accessible to patrons 24 hours a day. The approximately 164 items for purchase are restocked daily by UFCW Local 1059 members at the nearby Kroger in Kenton. The Store24 kiosk has been in operation since the beginning of this year.

• United States/Canada. Transitioning to a unified global structure, Rich Products Corporation has created regional businesses for its global sales. The United States/Canada region will now be co-led by Ray Burke, who will primarily oversee U.S. business, and Jack Kilgore, who will continue to lead the Canadian division.

• Canada. The Canadian division has made a major acquisition, Dorgel Ltd. & Elistan Foods. The acquisition includes the company’s frozen deserts and ice cream cakes, which compliments Rich’s current line of non-dairy frozen food. By acquiring Dogel’s and Elistan’s business, the company adds 47 new associates.

• Antelope Valley, CA. A small group of concerned citizens formed an organization called Quartz Hill Cares in an effort to halt the development of a 100,000 square foot facility in their community. Walmart began

its efforts to build the store in 2007, with assistance from local politicians who fast-tracked many of the necessary impact statements required for permits and future construction. The local group quickly filed a lawsuit claiming the impact reports were not properly conducted and, five years later, they won their case in California’s 2nd District Court of Appeals. The decision temporarily prevents breaking ground on the store.

• Washington, DC. Local activists in the nation’s capital have been victorious in delaying the construction of five proposed stores in the District. A building permit has been issued for one store in the city, due to open by the end of 2013. The remaining five store proposals—some of which were originally scheduled to open before the end of 2012—have not been granted permits and have no scheduled open dates presently. This is a major win for the Respect DC coalition, which includes UFCW Local 400 and other workers’ rights organizations.

• India. Despite repeated pleas to end their relationship with an Indian garment supplier, Walmart refused to act against the supplier’s history of violence toward unions. Now, a prominent labor organizer named Aminul Islam has been found tortured and killed in Bangladesh. Authorities suspect a connection between the organizer’s death and his ongoing campaigns within the garment industry. Indian labor leaders presented a petition to Walmart at last year’s shareholders’ meeting specifically naming Mr. Islam as a target of violence perpetrated by this supplier.

13



According to Franklin, the eagle was a despicable bird. It was a regal looking animal—a bully, a thief and a solitary creature that cared about nothing but itself and its immediate family. He pointed out that European kings and queens, including those in Great Britain, often used eagles in their royal seals. Further, eagles would attack smaller birds just for the fun of it and steal hard-earned food from other ani-mals. And finally, in times of danger, the eagle only protects itself and its young but never other eagles.

In contrast, turkeys are common-looking birds that live communally, share food and care for each others’ young. Most importantly, in times of danger, turkeys band together in a common defense. They are respectable birds.

Franklin hoped all of these “turkey traits” would apply to our new democ-racy. I believe they should also apply to UFCW Local 1059. As a union, we should care about, help and support each other. As the old labor quote sug-

gests, “An injury to one is an injury to all.”

In closing, it may sound good to say we are “eagles,” but, in reality, we should all hope to live our lives like “a bunch of turkeys.” In my UnionWize articles for the rest of this year, I will write about times when Ohio workers banded together to work for the com-mon good ... just like turkeys.

We’re All Turkeysby Rick Gregory, Education Director

I know that I am a turkey.

I believe that Presi-dent Randy Quickel,

Secretary-Treasurer Mark Fluharty and the rest of the staff of UFCW Local 1059 are turkeys as well. In fact, I hope that all of you reading this are also turkeys. Why do I make it sound like being a turkey is a good thing? Why a turkey and not, say, an eagle?

Ben Franklin, one of our coun-try’s founding fathers, preferred the turkey, too. He wanted the turkey to be our national bird rather than the bald eagle. Soon after the Revolution-ary War was over and our country had won its independence, Franklin wrote a letter to his daughter praising the vir-tue of the lowly turkey and condemn-ing the stately eagle. He claimed that the turkey was the perfect symbol of our new nation while the eagle better represented our foe, Great Britain.

UFCW Local 1059 Golf OutingWednesday, June 13, 2012

Cooks Creek Golf ClubEntry is limited to the first 36 foursomes. All foursomes must have at least 2 Local 1059 members. Golfers must be at the course by 7:30 am. The Golf Outing will be a scramble format with a shotgun start. Entry fee is $45 per person.

Name Employer Phone

_______________________________________ _________________________ _______________

_______________________________________ _________________________ _______________

_______________________________________ _________________________ _______________

_______________________________________ _________________________ _______________Send payment to: UFCW Local 1059, 4150 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213

For more information, contact Paul Smithberger at 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488, ext. 250

14



Ray Collier Memorial ScholarshipIn Celebration of His Service to the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists

ay Collier was a good friend, a

valuable member of the UFCW Lo-cal 1059 staff and a staunch sup-porter of workers’ rights. When he passed away in 2003, we wanted to honor his memory, continuing his commitment to our membership by offering a $1,000 scholarship in his name. Ray was a tireless advocate for the Co-lumbus chapter of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU), and it is in celebration of that conviction we offer the Ray Collier Memorial Scholarship to a UFCW Local 1059 member who shares Ray’s passion for union activism and helping others.

Scholarship Rules & Procedures

In order to be eligible for the Ray Collier Memorial Scholarship, you must be a UFCW Local 1059 mem-ber in continuous good standing for

at least 12 months immediately pre-ceding July 6, 2012. All applications and the materials enumerated below must be received at the UFCW Local 1059 office by Friday, July 6, 2012.

Eligible applicants must meet the following additional provisions:

1. Applicants must be high school students graduating in 2012 or currently enrolled as a full-time college or post-graduate student.

2. Applicants must have a cumula-tive 2.50 or better grade point av-erage and must submit their most recent official transcripts of either high school or college work.

3. Applicants must submit official documentation of their acceptance by an accredited college or univer-sity as a full-time student for the 2012 fall semester/quarter.

4. Applicants must be able to attend the CBTU Martin Luther King, Jr. Day brunch in Columbus on Saturday, January 12, 2013.

5. Applicants must submit an es-say of not less than one and no more than three pages, typed and

double-spaced, on the topic of How the Union Has Been a Part of My Family Life.

6. Applicants must submit a current photograph of themselves and a biography of approximately 500 words to be published in a future issue of UnionWize as well as the program for the CBTU Martin Luther King, Jr. Day brunch should they win.

The scholarship winner will be determined by the Scholarship Com-mittee following the July 6 deadline.

The scholarship will be paid in a single installment of $1,000. The scholarship payment will be presented at the CBTU Martin Luther King, Jr. Day brunch, conditioned upon the winner’s attendance at the event.

All documentation must be sub-mitted with your application in order to qualify. The scholarship is awarded by the Scholarship Committee with consideration for the totality of each applicant’s submitted materials.

R

Ray Collier

Ray Collier Memorial ScholarshipThis application must be received no later than Friday, July 6, 2012.

Applicant’s full name: _________________________________________ Phone: ________________________

Home address: _____________________________________________________________________________

City: __________________________________________ State: ___________ Zip: _____________________

Last 4 digits of member’s Social Security number: ____________________ Employer: _____________________

Signature: _________________________________________________________________________________

Mail completed application together with transcripts, documentation UFCW Local 1059 of college enrollment, essay, photo and biography to: 4150 East Main Street Columbus, Ohio 43213

15



Central Area-—Tuesday, May 1, 2012 UFCW Local 1059, Columbus 4150 E. Main Street

Eastern Area—Wednesday, May 2, 2012 Holiday Inn Express, Zanesville 1101 Spring Street

Southern Area—Thursday, May 3, 2012 Meeting times: 10:00 am & 7:00 pm Comfort Inn, Piketon 7525 U.S. Route 23

Toledo Area—Monday, May 7, 2012 Holiday Inn Express, Perrysburg 10621 Fremont Pike

upcominG eventsGolf League Begins––Monday, April 30, 2012Golf Outing—Wednesday, June 13, 2012Softball Tournament—Saturday, June 23, 2012Kings Island Picnic—Tuesday, June 26, 2012Ray Collier Scholarship Deadline—Friday, July 6, 2012Cedar Point Member Appreciation—Wednesday, July 11, 2012New York City Trip—September 24-27, 2012

Southeastern Area—Tuesday, May 8, 2012 The Olde Dutch Restaurant, Logan 12791 State Route 664 S.

Central Area—Wednesday, May 9, 2012 Meeting time: 10:00 am UFCW Local 1059, Columbus 4150 E. Main Street

Northern Area—Wednesday, May 9, 2012 Comfort Inn, Mansfield 500 N. Trimble Road

Northwestern Area—Thursday, May 10, 2012 Comfort Suites, Findlay 3700 Speedway Drive

contact informationLocal 1059 Office614.237.7671 or toll-free 800.282.6488

Health & Welfare Office614.237.7618 or toll-free 800.282.6483

Pension Office614.237.7423 or toll-free 800.282.6483

Quarterly union meetinGsAll Quarterly Union Meetings start at 7:00 pm unless otherwise noted.

Name: ________________________________________________ Home phone: ___________________

Guest (optional): ________________________________________ Cell phone: ____________________

Address: _______________________________________________ Employer: _____________________

City: ______________________________________________ State: ______ Zip: ________________

E-mail: ______________________________________________________________________________

Enclosed: $ _________________ Send payment to: UFCW Local 1059 4150 East Main StreetCash, money order, Visa, MasterCard, Discover accepted. Columbus, OH 43213

UFCW LOCAL 1059♥NYSeptember 24-27, 2012

Pay online in the Members Area of www.ufcw1059.com or contact Paul Smithberger at 614.237.7671 or 800.282.6488, ext. 250

Enjoy 3 days and 2 nights in New York City by joining Local 1059 for a chartered bus trip to the Big Apple! For $399 per person, you will enjoy:

Chartered bus travel leaving Monday, September 24 at 9:00 pm • Water taxi •Tour of Manhattan2 night hotel stay in North Bergen, NJ • Tour of 9/11 Memorial • Tour of Ellis Island & Statue of Liberty

Optional Broadway performance of Phantom of the Opera, orchestra seating (additional $80)

UFCW Local 1059 PicnicTuesday, June 26 and Saturday, July 28

Local 1059 prices:

up to five tickets adult .............................................................. $30junior (under 48”) .......................................... $20senior (age 62+) ............................................ $20children age 2 and under .............................. free

more than five tickets adult .............................................................. $37junior (under 48”) .......................................... $30senior (age 62+) ............................................ $30children age 2 and under .............................. free

Tickets must be purchased in advance. Pre-paid parking available: $6.00 the night before and $6.00 the day of the picnic.

Ticket price includes:• admission the day of the picnic• free admission the night before (after 5:00 pm)—we offer pre-

paid parking for $6.00 (reg. $12)• lunch served from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm, which includes

Southern fried chicken, hot dogs, Montgomery pulled pork, baked beans, potato salad, ice cream treats and soft drinks

UFCW Local 1059 Member Appreciation Day

Wednesday, July 11 and

Sunday, October 14Local 1059 prices:

up to five tickets adult .............................................................. $24junior (under 48”) .......................................... $13senior (age 62+) ............................................ $13children age 2 and under .............................. free

more than five tickets adult .............................................................. $28junior (under 48”) .......................................... $18senior (age 62+) ............................................ $18children age 2 and under .............................. free

Buy tickets in advance or at the main gate from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on the day of the event—look for the UFCW Local 1059 booth.

United Food & Commercial Workers International Union, CLC4150 East Main Street, Columbus, OH 43213

periodical postage paid at Columbus, OH

unionwize march-april 2012

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