MARJB Workers United, an SEIU Affiliate

        Delegates Attend First Ever Virtual Joint Board Meeting       

   Delegates to the Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board, Workers United, participated in its annual Joint Board Meeting on October 15, 2021, virtually via Zoom for the first time in our history.  Delegates who participated in the meeting handled the business and affairs of the Joint Board and elected officers to a new three (3) year term.  Regional Director Patrick Jones Sr. and Associate Director Patrick Jones Jr. were both re-elected to their respective positions.  Executive Board members were elected as follows:  Larry Bryant - President, David Bailey - Vice President, Peter Bostic - Secretary, Chad McCroskey - Sgt.-at-Arms, and Tommy Fragakis, Jamie Rhodes, and Mercedes Rivera were elected as Members at Large.  

   International President of Workers United, Lynne Fox, spoke to our delegates about the importance of the Mid-Atlantic Region and the hard working and dedicated team we have in place to grow our Union.  Matt Areman, Attorney, made a presentation on the Duty of Fair Representation.  International Organizing Director of Workers United, Richard Minter, spoke of the various exciting organizing campaigns taking place within our Region and within Workers United as a whole.  MARJB Organizing Director Rebecca Hess and Organizer Stephanie Hernandez reiterated the importance of internal organizing and spoke of the campaigns they are involved in.  And, MARJB Representative Ines Vargas spoke about educating our membership. 

   At the conclusion of the meeting, the wheel was spun and many delegates won fantastic prizes ranging from a 40" flat-screen tv, custom tailored suit (donated by English American Tailoring), smart watch, fit bit, gift cards, air fryer, keurig coffee maker, and a large trunk (donated by Mercury Luggage/Advantus), just to name a few. 

   Although we experienced a few technical difficulties at the beginning of the meeting, that were quickly resolved, all in all the virtual meeting went well.  Next years plan is to gather in person in Virginia Beach, VA.   

2021 Scholarship Winners

Bryce Lester

received the

Bruce Dunton / Peter Nadash

Award

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Bryce's father 

is a member of our 

Local 2024 - 

Celanese

in Narrows, VA

Vrunda Patel

received the 

Diane Dunton 

Award

​

Vrunda's mother

is a member of our

Local 262 -

Aramark Cleanroom

in Scranton, PA

Kristopher Boxter  

received the

William Cannon

Award

​

Kristopher's mother

is a member

of our Local 132 -

Brigade North

in Ashland, PA

Michaela Keifer

received the

Joseph Coponi

Award

​

Michaela's father

is a member

of our Local 1700 -

Autoneum

in Bloomsburg, PA

MARJB Holds Golf Scramble

to benefit the Scholarship Fund

      Bleyer workers end 2-day strike!     

Members of Workers United, Local 9, Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board employed at Bleyer Industries, Mount Union, PA, walked off the job on Tuesday morning, May 11, 2021.  The approximately 21 workers had been in negotiations with their employer since December 2019 that included working during the Covid Pandemic for all but approximately 4 weeks that the facility was shut down. 

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Despite the Corporate tax breaks of 2017 that were sold to US taxpayers on the basis it would permit employers to increase the wages of their employees and the $350K in PPP loans provided to the Company, the average wage at the Mount Union plant is $8.50 an hour, with many dependent on the minimum wage of $7.25.   The Mount Union plant celebrated its 55-year anniversary in 2018 and is spotlighted by the Company as the only remaining manufacturer of Easter basket grass and Halloween spider webs in the U.S. 

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Giorgia Norris, President, Local 9, shares the frustration of her fellow union members.  “We have been beat over the head with the competition of our industry”, she said.  “Knowing that money was given to our employer but not given to us was the last straw.  Everyone has a breaking point.”

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By Wednesday afternoon, the Company and Union officials had reached a deal that increased employee wages, added lump sum ratification bonuses, and secured monthly labor-management meetings with oversight from FMCS.  These Union members stood strong, fought, and got what they wanted!   All employees returned to work on Thursday morning and walked in with a renewed sense of pride and were UNITED as ONE!  

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June 2021 -  ​The Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board donated hamburgers and hot dogs to members of Local 2069, United Auto Workers (UAW), who are on strike at the Volvo truck factory in Dublin, VA.  They negotiated for weeks, but the company still refuses to agree on a fair contract.  This company employs 3,000 workers and the strike is in its second week.  The MARJB of Workers United represents the Aramark Cafeteria workers within the same plant.  Regional Director, Patrick Jones Sr., says "we stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters here in southwest Virginia".  To the left is our Joint Board Representative, James Sayers, pictured with Matt Blondino, UAW Local 2069 President.  To the right, James is pictured with Kathy Mathena, a member of our Local 15-7, who works in the cafeteria at the Volvo plant.  Her husband is also on the UAW Local 2069 By-Laws Committee. 

  Regional Director Patrick Jones Sr. (pictured) doing his part and getting the 2nd dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Director Jones encourages all members of the Union to get the vaccine in an effort to bring this pandemic to an end.

   Getting the COVID-19 vaccine could prevent you from spreading the virus to others, add to the number of people in the community who are protected from getting the virus - making it harder for the disease to spread, and prevent the COVID-19 virus from spreading and replicating, which allows it to mutate and possibly become more resistant to vaccines. 

  Brigade Mfg. North LLC takes over Gitman facility in Ashland, PA   

On October 20, 2020, the Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board was invited to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for Brigade Manufacturing North LLC.   In attendance were Regional Director Patrick Jones Sr., Associate Director Patrick Jones Jr., Joint Board Representative Ines Vargas and various public figures within the Schuylkill County and Ashland Community.

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Brigade Manufacturing decided they wanted to take over the Gitman Brothers facility along with all their employees just a few weeks after Gitman made an announcement they were closing the facility in Ashland, PA, and relocating to Tennessee.   Brigade was willing to accept and continue to honor the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Union.   

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As a special surprise Brigade Manufacturing decided to publicly sign the new CBA at the ribbon cutting ceremony.

AFL-CIO Workers First Caravan

for Racial and Economic Justice

On June 17, 2020, MARJB staff participated in the AFL-CIO Workers First Caravan for Racial and Economic Justice, an all-out action of national solidarity calling for racial and economic justice and equality, implementation of America's Five Economic Essentials, and passage of the HEROES Act.  Staff participated in the Caravan in Richmond, VA, but additional caravans from across all 50 states and Puerto Rico participated in solidarity actions.

Workers United statement in support of Black Lives Matter

Now more than ever, America, in the eyes of the world, is a country deeply divided by race, class, and culture.

Throughout our history, racial inequality has led to inequities that we can’t allow to continue.

Workers United stands alongside all the brave men, women, children, and LGBTQ communities who believe that Black Lives Matter.

Workers United condemns the injustices that people of color face every day. We condemn structural racism. And we condemn police brutality.

Workers United believes that the Black Lives Matter movement speaks to the social activism that has shaped our union over the past 100 years.

We believe that Black Lives Matter is a human- and civil-rights movement. We are committed as a union steeped in activism to play our role in ending structural racism.

We stand in solidarity with our black and brown families, who are our neighbors, our colleagues, and an integral part of our community. Within our membership, 70% are people of color. Our diversity has always been our strength as a union.

Words alone cannot change what has happened over the past 400 years. We cannot erase the past, but we can work toward the future. Let us be the generation to end this divide.

Workers United leadership is committed to keeping our eyes and ears open, and our hearts and our minds, to fully appreciate the pain and trials that black people endure every day. We will accept the discomfort this knowledge brings, knowing that white people have played an integral role in this injustice. With this knowledge, we will systematically work to effect change, through our communities, the workplace, and in the halls of government. We call on law enforcement to accept responsibility in the role they have played thus far, and to implement meaningful change that reflects respect for all human life.

Workers United’s legacy shows that organizing, unionization, and collective bargaining helps to ensure that there is no disparate treatment on the job. The current divide in this country brings that into focus even more. With only 6% of the private sector unionized, inequity has been allowed to flourish with the improper treatment of workers without any check and balances. We believe in fighting for our members to be paid based on their jobs and classifications, not what they look like or what gender they are or what language they speak.

Workers United affirms our support of the Black Lives Matter movement by:

     - Working toward ensuring equity throughout our workplaces

     - Fighting against policies that marginalize communities of color

     - Standing in solidarity with black people, and acting against racial injustice

     - Supporting policies and reforms that lead to real freedoms for black people

Workers United will lead by action, because Black Lives Matter.

Local 4 Officers (Marshalls Distribution Center in Bridgewater, VA) celebrated the retirement of 31-year employee Debra Moore.  Debra held many positions while a member of Local 4 and always supported the Union's efforts and offered dedicated service to our members / her co-workers.  Enjoy your retirement Debra!