It happens all the time. To please their corporate sponsors, politicians across the country keep trying to take away the hard-earned accomplishments that were won by unions in the past century.
Making matters worse are recent cuts to SNAP benefits. Eighty percent of SNAP dollars are spent at stores like Fry’s, Safeway, Smith’s and Albertsons. The cuts to that essential federal program equate to $800 million a year less spent at stores in our jurisdiction. That is a major hit in a thin-margin industry. These cuts have created a ripple effect upstream as the meatpacking and beef processing industries are hit when grocers cut back on purchasing their products.
Cuts to Medicare also are hurting the health care industry, where many UFCW members are employed.
These are just some of the reasons why union members need to vote. Actions by our representatives in Congress and our state legislature have consequences that go beyond government budgets and corporate profits. They affect the ability of working people to make a living and support their families.
Ignoring elections is not an option. Union members need to be engaged in the political process.
The easiest way to get involved is by voting. Unfortunately, only about half of all Americans register and vote. And in midterm elections, when members of Congress appear on the ballot but presidential candidates do not, that number is expected to be even less.
One reason for this lack of participation is that too many people believe their votes don’t count. Or they say they are too busy to vote. Or they just forget to register. All of these are poor excuses, but none of them is as sad as “I don’t care.”
We all need to care. Every one of us. Some of us take our freedoms for granted because we live in a country that is relatively free of oppression. But that could change quickly if we allow it.
We know many people have their own specific hot-button issues, but we need to protect our economic futures foremost. And the key to protecting our economic welfare is preserving our rights as union members.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independent or whatever. Casting your vote offers the best chance to have your voice heard in our democracy. It is, in fact, the best way to protect democracy itself.
Voting is serious business, so when you make your choices, please be careful when you read things on social media or listen to political advertisements. Get the facts and don’t let yourself be swayed by social issues that have no effect on your ability to earn a good living.
On the website are candidates your union supports. Please refer to this list when you make your choices later this year.
We have choices to make in a democracy. For our own sakes and the sakes of those we cherish, please choose carefully.
