MARJB Workers United, an SEIU Affiliate
Joint Board News
President Lynne Fox Visits Marshalls Distribution Center
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International President of Workers United Lynne Fox and International Vice President and Organizing Director Richard Minter joined MARJB Associate Director Patrick Jones Jr. and MARJB Secretary / Joint Board Representative Peter Bostic as they paid a visit to the Marshalls Distribution Center in Bridgewater, VA, on August 17-18, 2023. Lynne and Richard engaged with members of Local 4 employed at the facility as part of the Building Power on the Shop Floor Program. They were also led on a tour of the facility by Local 4 President Doug Rolon and Vice President Melinda Rolon along with other officers and stewards.
Members at UMBC Ratify New 3-Year Contract
On August 22, 2023, members of our Local 15-2, food service workers employed at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), voted to ratify a new 3-year contract.
This new contract provides significant wage increases, additional holidays, and increases in pension contributions and uniform allowances.
Congratulations to all of these members on getting a great contract!
2023 Scholarship Winners
No
Picture
Available
Lauren Bragg
received the
Bruce Dunton / Peter Nadash
Award
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Lauren's father
is a member of our
Local 863 -
The Greenbrier
White Sulphur Springs, WV
Sarah Bower
received the
Joe Bock
Award
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Sarah's father
is a member of our
Local 1700 -
Autoneum
Bloomsburg, PA
Erica Rosa
received the
William Cannon
Award
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Erica's mother
is a member of our
Local 15-2 -
UMBC
Baltimore, MD
Summer Hartlaub
received the
Joseph Coponi
Award
​
Summer's father
is a member of our
Local 427 -
English American
Westminster, MD
*** MARJB Quarterly Raffle ***
Drawing Held:
April 27, 2023
Winners:
1st Prize: Ana Cortez
2nd Prize: April Simons
3rd Prize: Lymont Jones
Winner Ana Cortez (ALSCO - Virginia Beach) pictured
with Shop Steward Patricia Furness
Winner April Simons (Up to Date Laundry) pictured with her mother
MARJB Raffle
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The next drawing for the raffle will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2023. Winners will be posted on our website.
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All ticket stubs and money should be returned to the Regional Office on or before Wednesday, September 20, 2023, in order to be included in the drawing.
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1st Prize: 55" Flat Screen TV
2nd Prize: $100 Cash
3rd Prize: $50 Cash
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You do not need to be
present to win.
Good Luck!
Starbucks Partners Receive Organizing Award
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The Northern Virginia Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, held their annual "Tribute to Labor" awards dinner on Friday, May 19, 2023, at the McClean Hilton - McClean, VA.
Many guest speakers were in attendance and Senator Tim Kaine presented the Organizing Award to the young leaders from Starbucks and other companies who are reviving the labor movement.
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Regional Director Patrick Jones, Sr., Associate Director Patrick Jones Jr., and Organizing Director Rebecca Hess attended the event alongside many of the partners from Starbucks who were there to accept the award.
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Congratulations to all the awardees and NoVA Labor Federation President Virginia Diamond for a successful labor event!
Delegates attend 2023 AFL-CIO MLK Jr. Conference
Delegates from the MARJB attended the AFL-CIO Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Human and Civil Rights Conference in Washington DC on January 13-16, 2023. The weekend was filled with activities which included speakers, community service, an interfaith service, Awards Gala, and concluded with the MLK Holiday DC Annual Peace Walk & Parade. This was the first time in several years
that the event was able to
be held in person.
Starbucks workers across the country are organizing in an effort to get a number of improvements, including higher pay, more hours, and better safety protections. They want more say in what their working lives are like and they want to hold a company that talks progressive values accountable. Starbucks calls its employees "partners" but most employees feel they are not treated that way. Starbucks employees say they are seeing successful union votes at other locations and think they could improve conditions at their own stores by doing the same. Our Union is leading the effort to organize these workers.
Want to get more involved in supporting organizing efforts at Starbucks?
Sign the
"No Contract,
No Coffee"
pledge.
New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand announced legislation to address labor concerns and worker's rights in the U.S. garment industry.
The Fashioning Accountability and Building Real Institutional Change (FABRIC) Act was introduced to the Senate on May 12, 2022, with Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) as co-sponsors. People who make our clothes are too often not employed fairly or treated fairly or paid fairly for their work in the industry. This legislation will help ensure American garment workers are fairly paid while revitalizing the entire American garment manufacturing industry.
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Workers United is a proud endorser of the FABRIC Act.
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Delegates Attend Joint Board Meeting in VA Beach
Delegates of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board, Workers United, participated in its annual Joint Board Meeting on October 28-29, 2022, at the Hilton Garden Inn Hotel in Virginia Beach, VA.
Delegates met to discuss and approve the business of the Joint Board. Prior meeting minutes were approved and Departmental reports were given by Sara Serafini for the MARJB Health Fund, Mary Delss gave reports on the Financials of the Health Fund and the Joint Board, Chris Roell gave the report on Dues and Membership, and the Audit Committee gave the report on their audit findings for year ended 2021.
Delegates received grievance training from Tony Michael of the WVU Institute of Labor Studies and Research. Guest speakers attended from Amalgamated Life Insurance Company - Roseann Frankl, Ray Moore and Dawn Maahs, who spoke on the various supplemental insurance benefits provided. MARJB Organizing Director Rebecca Hess, gave the Organizing Report and presentation with assistance from Tyler Hofmann and Justin Eastman, both of whom are former employees of Starbucks who were terminated. Workers United International Organizing Director Richard Minter also gave an Organizing Report and spoke about the different campaigns Workers United is involved in across the country.
Presentations were also made by Jennifer Alexandre and Lisa Bond from Humana who spoke about the Medicare open enrollment period and the services and products they provide to bridge the gap for members who are Medicare eligible. We also heard from Lisa Johnson and Jeff Hapke from American Income Life who spoke about the AD&D benefit that all members and retirees of the Joint Board have been given at no-cost to them as well as other products they offer. Leadership Training was provided by Joint Board Representative Ines Vargas who spoke about the importance of listening, communicating, and educating our membership.
Friday night, Delegates gathered in the Ballroom for a reception, Halloween Costume Contest, dinner, karaoke, and dancing. At the conclusion of the meeting on Saturday, the wheel was spun and many delegates won fantastic prizes from cash and gift cards to a custom tailored suit (donated by English American Tailoring), and a large trunk (donated by Mercury Luggage/Advantus).
The MARJB would like to give special recognition and thanks to our Union sister and Executive Board Member Mercedes Rivera. Mercedes made a very generous monetary donation to our Scholarship Fund. Way to go Mercedes! YOUR kind gesture is very much appreciated!!
Do You Know Your Weingarten Rights?
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a worker is entitled to have a union representative present when a supervisor asks for information which could be used as the basis for discipline. Management has no obligation to tell workers their rights. Stewards should make sure all workers know their rights and know that they can request union representation before or during questioning by management.
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If called to a meeting with management, read the following statement to management before the meeting starts:
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If this discussion could in any way lead to my being disciplined or terminated, or affect my personal working conditions, I respectfully request that my union representative, officer or steward be present at this meeting. Without representation present, I choose not to participate in this discussion.