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!
2024 Scholarship Winners
No
Picture
Available
Hannah Sarver
received the
Bruce Dunton / Peter Nadash
Award
​​
Hannah's father
is a member of our
Local 1995 -
Celanese Maintenance
Narrows, VA
Kasie Hazelwood
received the
Joe Bock
Award
​​
Kasie's mother
is a member of our
Local 2024 -
Celanese
Narrows, VA
Samuel Faluyi
received the
William Cannon
Award
​​
Samuel's father
is a member of our
Local 1071 -
Up To Date Laundry
Baltimore, MD
Sarah Bower
received the
Joseph Coponi
Award
​​
Sarah's father
is a member of our
Local 1700 -
Autoneum
Bloomsburg, PA
*** MARJB Quarterly Raffle ***
Drawing Held:
December 19, 2023
Winners:
1st Prize - 55" Flat Screen TV: Matthew Hoover
Local 371
2nd Prize - $100 Cash:
Seth Booher
Local 371
3rd Prize - $50 Cash:
Carole Bowes
Local 863
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 Charles Town
Delegates of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Joint Board, Workers United, participated in its annual Joint Board Meeting on September 22-23, 2023, at the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town, WV.
Delegates met to discuss and approve the business of the Joint Board. Prior meeting minutes were distributed and approved. 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 Audit Committee members Laticia Bradford and Shauna Speck gave the report on their audit findings for year ended 2022. Representatives from United Wealth Management also presented an investment report to our delegates.
Delegates received advanced grievance and arbitration prep training from Tony Michael of the WVU Institute of Labor Studies and Research. Guest speakers attended from Amalgamated Life Insurance Company - Ray Moore and Matt Ordille, who spoke on the various supplemental insurance benefits they offer. MARJB Organizing Director Rebecca Hess, gave the Organizing Report and presentation with assistance from Tyler Hofmann, Aleah Bacetti and Gus Mason, who have been instrumental in the organizing efforts at Starbucks and climbing gyms across our Region.
Presentations were also made by Jennifer Alexandre and Marisol Rodriguez 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 Jeff Hapke and Celia O'Dell 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 supplemental products they offer. Leadership Training was conducted by Interim Associate Director Peter Bostic who spoke about the rules of order in conducting union meetings.
Friday night, Delegates gathered in the Ballroom for a reception, dinner, photo booth, and dancing. At the conclusion of the meeting on Saturday, Thelma Johnson won the 50/50 raffle and Rick Bailey won the large trunk (donated by Mercury Luggage / Advantus). Amalgamated Life also gave out two (2) Visa gift cards won by Laura Williams and Sara Serafini.
On October 12, 2023, members of Local 1148 employed at Lifewear in Pottstown, PA, got a visit from Jessie Pena from the National Retirement Fund. Jessie made a presentation on behalf of the National Plus Plan and answered members questions in regards to their 401(k) benefits.
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.