New face of YOUNG WORKERS Program

UFCW Local 99’s Young Workers Program encourages union participation among its younger members. Its activities include a new Facebook page and a visit to a DiamondBacks baseball game.

The program is a resource for young union members under the age of 35 who want to learn more about their union.

“Our goal is to involve and empower our younger members,” President Jim McLaughlin said. “The future of our union and the Labor Move­ment depends on educating and motivating our members to become more involved.

“In San Francisco, the Young Worker program independently helped raise the minimum wage in the city to $8.50 an hour,” he said.

As part of its outreach effort, Local 99 has created a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=100000777547476.

“It is important to have a union presence on Facebook,” McLaughlin said. “America has the world’s largest Facebook population and 60 percent of them are younger than 35 years old,” he continued. “The page gives our members an opportunity to connect with others and learn about union activities, some of which will be designed especially for them.”

McLaughlin said the Facebook page will help the union become more responsive to daily events and develop feelings of solidarity among the members.

“This can be much more than just a social networking site. It will help us to mobilize our members for any cause that helps our union and the community.”

The page will have links to the other sites such as WakeUpWal­mart.com and the UFCW International Young Workers page. The group’s kickoff event was a baseball game on Wednesday, June 9, at Chase Field. For $5, members were able to get a ticket to the Diamondbacks-Atlanta Braves game and unlimited hot dogs, popcorn and soft drinks. A good time was had by all!

• Unionized young workers earn 12.4 percent more in wages or $1.75 more per hour than non-union young workers.
• Unionized young workers are 17 percent more likely to have employer-provided health insurance than non-union young workers.
• Unionized young workers are 24 percent more likely to have a pension plan than similar non-union young workers.

cepr - Center for Policy Research

Young Workers of the UFCW - Kick off event

More than 120 union workers, friends and family mem­bers packed into the Picnic Pavilion at Chase Field for UFCW Local 99’s Young Workers kickoff event on June 9.

The game between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Atlanta Braves was tied 0-0 until the eighth inning, keeping the participants on the edges of their seats. A third-inning hot dog eating contest left many members too stuffed to take full advantage of the all-you-can-eat food bar.

“The Diamondbacks beat the Braves 2-1 that day and everyone left full of Diamondbacks and UFCW pride.” said one member.

UFCW Local 99’s Young Workers Program encourages union participation among the local’s younger members. The program is a resource for young union members under the age of 35 who want to learn more, get involved and make their voices heard.

The UFCW Young Workers meet on the last Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at Applebee’s at 2 E. Camelback Road, at Central Avenue in Phoenix.

To learn more about the UFCW Young Workers and to get involved in planning the next event, call (602) 251-0437 or email ufcw99youngworkers@gmail.com.

On Facebook, search for UFCW 99 Young Workers.

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