As seen in the Unity: Winter 2025 – President’s Report. See past copies of the Unity here.

Strength at the Bargaining Table, Now and in the Future

The core values at UFCW Local 152 represent the promise that anything is possible when individuals stand united for a common purpose.

Our retail clerk members at ShopRite ratified a historic contract in December. The dedicated rank and file members of the ShopRite negotiating committee deserve the recognition for this achievement. They fought for larger wage increases and the preservation of employer paid health care.

Just as importantly, they stood strong and beat back several employer proposals that would have negatively impacted their contract. Many of the wins in negotiations are the items that never make it to the ratification vote.

Congratulations to the more than 2,000 members who stood united during the lengthy bargaining process. You’ve charted a path for future bargaining as your solidarity sent a message that will be remembered for years to come.

We’ve recently welcomed new members at Genesis’ Millville Center into the Local 152 family. These CNAs and LPNs now have an effective voice on the job and a seat at the table with their employer. Hundreds of food processing workers at Dietz & Watson just ratified their new contract, which greatly improved their working lives and recognized their seniority. These dedicated members have helped build that brand into a recognized industry leader and they deserve every dollar and benefit they’ve won.

Local 152 will be ready to build on these successes in the future. Members across all of our industries should know it’s never too early to start making a list of items they’d like to address in the next round of negotiations with their employers. We need to stay ahead of the game by understanding the crucial elements of our contracts and what we shouldn’t let employers take away from us.

An extra effort

Of course, our successes aren’t limited to our members at ShopRite, Genesis, or Dietz & Watson. In any issue of the Unity, you can read about the strong contracts we negotiate in the fields of health care, manufacturing, and beyond, thanks to the united membership we have grown over the years. Your union continually looks for opportunities to grow our local, as with greater numbers comes greater strength.

While a growing membership is vital to our strength at the bargaining table, it certainly doesn’t guarantee it. That strength can only come from a membership that is engaged, active, and willing to put forth a little extra effort for the cause. This means taking action like attending our quarterly membership meetings, volunteering to be stewards, or stepping up to participate in negotiating committees. I understand that everyone has busy lives, but taking a few extra steps when you can will not only help yourself but it pays dividends in our mission to help others.

This also means supporting your union at every opportunity you get. When these things happen, employers will take notice, and they will come to the bargaining table with a more constructive attitude. They will be less likely to try to exploit divisions and create a wedge between us. Solidarity is always important, but it is ever crucial heading into and during contract negotiations. If employers sense any degree of discord, they will try to use it to their advantage — united we bargain, divided we beg!

The strength of collective bargaining is powerful and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Millions of workers across our great country do not have this benefit that is so easily taken for granted. We should cherish our collective voices because our forefathers made great sacrifices to win our seats at the bargaining table. In the spirit of union solidarity, let’s continue to work together so we can negotiate the best agreements possible with every employer in the industries we represent.

Daniel Ross, Jr.
President, UFCW Local 152