News From Around Washington

Thurston-Lewis-Mason CLC plans May Day event in Olympia
​All are invited to attend, organize, sponsor this celebration at Heritage Park

OLYMPIA — The Thurston-Lewis-Mason Central Labor Council and its new committee, the South Sound Labor School, invite all working people and families in Olympia and the surrounding area to join them for a May Day Celebration from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Olympia’s Heritage Park, 5th Ave. SW, on International Workers Day, May 1, 2023.
“With this event, TLM CLC joins millions around the world in celebrating International Workers’ Day and hopes to unite our diverse communities around the common struggles for dignity, democracy, and justice,” said Alice Rosewater with AFSCME 3758. “Almost everybody is expected to work for a living, but not all those people see themselves as part of the working class. TLM CLC hopes to help change that with our May Day celebration, to show what unites us and to promote our common bonds as we seek to build a better future.”
All working people in our region are welcome to enjoy the event’s live music, food, and games. They’ll also have the chance to hear from notable figures in the South Sound’s Labor community, including
○  Bob Guenther (TLM CLC)
○  Mike Yestramski (WFSE/AFSCME Council 28)
○  Dylan Lux (Starbucks Workers United Tumwater)
○  Clint Bryson (IBEW 76)
○  Rachelle Martin (TLM CLC)
○  Kimberly Klontz (BLET 238)
○  Mark McLaughlin (UFCW 367)
As the council prepares for the May Day Celebration, all are invite to participate in a number of ways:
●  Attend the event as a participant! Come and eat, play some games and connect with us!
●  Staff a booth to advertise your local union or program. Showcase the work you do or an initiative you are proud of and want to share.
●  Send a speaker to address the crowd. We want to hear from you! We are building a program of speakers and music. If you or anyone in your group wants time at the microphone let us know!
●  Sponsor the event as a Supporter ($250), Associate ($500), or Partner ($1,000).
● Join the planning committee. All committee members have access to all planning documents; including permits, budget, contracts.
Get more information on the event at tlmlabor.org or contact TLM CLC Treasurer Rachelle Martin at 360-261-2090 or treasurer@tlmlabor.org.
Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115839
Actions opposing grocery merger this week across state, nation(April 5, 2023) — Grocery store workers from seven UFCW local unions – representing more than 100,000 Kroger and Albertsons workers in 11 states and the District of Columbia – are holding actions in front of stores now through April 13 to connect with customers about the impacts of the proposed megamerger.
Since the companies announced the proposed merger in October, workers, unions, consumer groups and others have raised the alarm about the negative impact on workers, shoppers, and suppliers such as farmers and ranchers. In mid-March a national coalition of more than 100 organizations was announced with a new website: NoGroceryMerger.com.


If the $24.6 billion megamerger is approved, it will drive out competition, increase food prices, create food deserts, and put up to 100,000 union jobs at risk. The growing opposition is asking the Federal Trade Commission to block the megamerger from moving forward and prevent its negative impact on both consumer and labor markets.
The local unions participating in the actions include UFCW 3000 (WA & northern ID) and UFCW 367, South Puget Sound of Washington state, plus UFCW 400 (MD,  DC, VA, WV, OH, KY, TN), UFCW  7 (CO & WY),  UFCW 770 (Southern CA), UFCW 5 (Northern CA), and UFCW 324 (Orange County CA/Southern Los Angeles County).
Actions are scheduled at the following dates, times, locations:
Wednesday, April 5 — PORT ORCHARD
11 a.m., Safeway, 3355 Bethel RD SE
Wednesday, April 5 — BELLEVUE
Noon, QFC, 15600 NE 8th St Suite K-1
Thursday, April 6 — MARYSVILLE
3 p.m., Fred Meyer, 9925 State St.
Thursday, April 6 — SPOKANE
4 p.m., Albertsons, 6520 North Nevada St.
Thursday, April 6 — SEATTLE
Noon, QFC, 9999 Holman Rd NW
Short URL: https://www.thestand.org/?p=115831