Help NEJB Member Recover from Tragic Lowell Fire

On July 10th a tragic fire swept through a Lowell, MA apartment building killing 7 people and destroying 9 apartments. The fire was one of the deadliest in state history. Many of those killed and displaced were new immigrants from Cambodia. One of the displaced was To Vath, a 23 year member of the New England Joint Board Local 311. After returning home from his 12 hour shift at the Polartec factory in Lawrence, Brother Vath arrived to find his home in flames. Thankfully Brother Vath and his brother escaped without injury but they both lost all of their belongings including citizenship papers and family possessions. Brother Vath came to the US 26 years ago as a refugee from Cambodia and has spent most of his time here as a loyal union member and hardworking textile worker at Polartec.

A fund has been set up to help victims of the fire. Please join the NEJB in making a donation to the fund. Please send a check to:

Branch Street Fire Victims Relief Fund
Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
P.O. Box 1238
Lowell, Mass. 01853

Click here to read a story about the fire that quotes Brother Vath.

NEJB Announces Endorsement of Steve Grossman for MA Governor

NEW BEDFORD- Today our union announced its endorsement of Steve Grossman for Governor of Massachusetts. Members, officers, and staff of the New England Joint Board gathered outside of the Joseph Abboud factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where over 600 NEJB members are employed, to make the announcement. 

Against the backdrop of the growing factory, Bert Barao, President of the NEJB and a full time tailor at Macy’s in Braintree, highlighted the significance of the setting. “The story of this factory and it’s continued growth serves as a model for positive labor management relations and underscores that we CAN still make things in the USA while protecting and creating good quality union jobs. Today we’re here to announce our endorsement of a man who will do just that.” 

Ethan Snow, Chief of Staff and Political Director for the union, stressed Grossman’s progressive values for the reason for the endorsement. “Steve knows that we’re all better off when workers are treated fairly and valued as part of the solution to our economic troubles, not the problem. He’s done this as a businessman and will continue to do this as Governor of the Commonwealth.”

The New England Joint Board represents approximately 8,000 members in New England and New York with about 5,000 throughout Massachusetts. Our union represents workers in the textile, garment, manufacturing, laundry, warehousing, food service, and human services industries. For over one hundred years our union’s mission has been to bring low wage workers into the middle class with dignity and respect.

Grossman, the current State Treasurer, highlighted his plans to build the economy and support immigrant workers. “Immigrant families built our country, and we ought to treat all people with the dignity and respect they deserve. As governor, I’ll create new manufacturing jobs that pay a living wage, and I’ll fight to reform our broken immigration system so that hard-working families can have a fair chance to get ahead and build a brighter future.”

After the event Treasurer Grossman spent time meeting with the Joseph Abboud workers, answering questions, and learning more about the work of the skilled union garment workers. 

 

photo

Union Potters Win Strong Contract

SUPER good news! 

The members of NEJB Local 341, artisanal potters employed by Bennington Potters in Bennington, Vermont, just won a landmark new contract! The workers, makers of beautiful handmade pottery, protected their union health insurance, lowered the employee contribution, and won the best wage increases in recent memory. Congratulations gang!

Check out our “Made in New England” page for more information on Bennington Potters and the beautiful pottery that our members make.

photo 1

Faculty Support NEJB Food Service Workers at Springfield College

To the Springfield College Community:

During the Fall semester, Aramark workers at SC impressed us with their tenacious and inspirational union organizing drive. Ninety-eight faculty and over 300 students signed on to letters of support during the organizing drive. After a resounding victory they entered into negotiations with Aramark with the expectation of a fair and respectful process and hoped for a contract agreement by Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, as spring finally emerges, the negotiations have stalled and the workers once again need our support as they struggle with Aramark over health care benefits.  

Worcester State University Food Service Workers Win First Contract

This week 60 food service workers employed by Compass Group at Worcester State University in Worcester, MA won their first contract, capping off a 9 month organizing campaign with the New England Joint Board of UNITE HERE. Workers began organizing last summer under a card check neutrality agreement. They won recognition of their union in the fall and joined the ranks of nearly 1,100 other NEJB members in the city of Worcester who are employed in distribution centers and industrial laundries.

Worcester State workers began negotiating immediately after winning recognition. Over the past few months the negotiating committee worked diligently to educate and activate their fellow workers: some lifelong Worcester residents, others new immigrants from Albania and Latin America. With a new-found sense of unity WSU workers were able to win a landmark contract. The contract contains strong immigrant rights language and defines full time hours as 29 hours and above per week allowing more workers to qualify for benefits. In addition, workers won quality and affordable union health insurance with the company paying 85% of the costs and workers receiving 52 weeks of coverage while contributing only 32 weeks of the year. On average, workers will receive close to a 14% wage increase over the life of the 3 year contract as well as a defined benefit pension plan and free eyeglasses or contact lenses every 2 years for employees and one dependent.

At the ratification, which passed with 99% approval, workers like Mimoza Sulejani expressed their excitement, “It means that we are together and everyone will be treated equally. Now we have rights and rules that management has to respect. As immigrant workers we can now demand respect! We now have fair raises and good health benefits!”.

The New England Joint Board of UNITE HERE represents nearly 8,000 workers in the six New England states and New York in the textile, garment, manufacturing, food service, distribution, laundry, and disability services industries.

The negotiating committee.

The negotiating committee.

 

NEJB Local 1554T Giving Tree Program A Great Success

Local 1554T Wraps Up its 21st Year of Adopting Local Families

 

Local 1554T of the New England Joint Board, UNITE HERE of Coventry, RI, has wrapped up its 2013 Christmas Giving Tree Program. After 20 years of adopting local families at Christmas we have again kept the tradition alive as we wrap up our twenty first year. Once again the tree went up and the tags with the names of children who would have not had a Christmas went on the tree. Since the program’s modest beginning in 1992, the Local has worked with various agencies to sponsor families from Coventry, West Warwick, Cranston, Scituate, Foster, Warwick, Providence, Westerly, Central Falls and Narragansett. This year was no different. This year with a lot of help from its members and donations made by many generous companies, restaurants and other many individuals, we are able to assist seven families, which included eleven boys and nine girls from different parts of Rhode Island, plus an additional number of kids through donations to other drives. Each of our adopted families received a $50 gift certificate for food, clothes, as well as toys. Through the history of the program this year brought the total to more than 92 families and several hundred individual children through other drives.

 

Each year there is never a shortage of families which, for whatever their situation, need a little support. We at Local 1554T hope that the people and organizations which have made donations this year and in the past will continue in the future so we can continue to keep Christmas alive for the children of our area.

 

All of us at Local 1554T would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year.

 

Brian Coutu President

Richard Rupp Vice President

Byron Carrington Sec/Treasurer

Local 1554T – New England Joint Board – UNITE HERE

 


NEJB Local 1554T Continues Tradition of Giving Back to the Community

Local 1554-T of the New England Joint Board, UNITE HERE of Coventry, RI, sponsors a Christmas Giving Tree Program. After more than two decades of adopting local families at Christmas they will again be keeping the tradition alive as they kick off their twenty first year with fund raising events and raffles. Then, once again the tree will go up and the tags with the names of children who won’t go wanting will be on it starting the day after Thanksgiving. Since the program’s modest beginning in 1992, the Local has worked with various agencies to sponsor families from Coventry, West Warwick, Cranston, Scituate, Foster, Warwick, Providence, Westerly and Central Falls. In this time they have helped several hundred individuals in more than 95 families and hundreds of additional underprivileged children. Each year they adapt their program depending on the needs of the adopted families and their budget. Local 1554-T looks forward to another successful season.

 

Donations are always appreciated to raise funds to help supply clothes, food and gifts to families in our area.

Brian Coutu

President Local 1554T

New England Joint Board- UNITE HERE

Aramark Food Service Workers at Springfield College Join the NEJB

On Thursday, Oct. 24 at approximately 6:30 p.m., the final numbers were tallied and the ARAMARK workers at Springfield College were informed that they had won the election for a union by a vote of 58-26.

“It was pretty exciting. Very exciting. It was like winning on a championship team,” Cheney chef and union organizing committee member Erskine Kelly said.

NEJB Local 406 member Roger Gay Runs for Saco City Council

SACO – City Councilor Les Smith has served the residents of Saco’s Ward 2 for more than 20 years. In November, he is facing a challenge by newcomer Roger Gay.

The Sun Chronicle asked each candidate the same set of questions and their answers follow:

NEJB Municipal Election Endorsements

On Tuesday November 5th, voters across the region will be casting ballots for candidates for municipal office. The following candidates have been endorsed by the NEJB. These candidates represent the best choices for working families. Please do not forget to vote and encourage your coworkers, family and friends to support these candidates:

Massachusetts:

Boston

Mayor: Martin J. Walsh (Laborers Local 223)

City Council At Large: Michelle Wu

City Council District 2: Suzanne Lee (previously endorsed by NEJB)

Lawrence

Mayor: Dan Rivera

City Council At Large: Nilka Álvarez-Rodríguez (previously endorsed by NEJB)

Maine:

Saco

City Council Ward 2: Roger Gay (NEJB Local 406)

New York:

New York

Mayor: Bill de Blasio