Flu Shots Scheduled for October 2018
The Sidney Hillman Health Center has scheduled flu shots for the coming season. Members of the health center can receive free shots. Please remember to bring any health insurance cards with you. The dates are: Wed 10/17 Fri 10/19 Wed 10/24 Fri 10/26 Hours are 9:00-4:00.
Labor Day Parade 2018
On Monday, September 3, The Rochester Regional Joint Board and the Sidney Hillman Health Center participated in the 2018 Rochester Labor Day Parade. The RRJB and SHHC members, staff, and band marched though Downtown Rochester amongst waving spectators. Labor Day is an especially important holiday for unions all over the country as it celebrates the achievements and contributions of workers in America. Here are more photos from the day:
Rochester Regional Joint Board Hosts Pulitzer Prize Winning Author David Cay Johnston
On Saturday, April 28, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, David Cay Johnston, gave a talk at the Rochester Regional Joint Board Union Building. Johnston covered topics included in his recently published book, “It’s Even Worse Than You Think: What the Trump Administration is Doing to America”. The talk was sponsored by the Education Committee, Rochester Labor Council, AFL-CIO; the Cornell-ILR Extension Labor Program; and the Pettengill Labor Education Fund.
Sidney Hillman Health Center, RRJB, and Members Raise over $8,407
On Saturday, April 14 the Sidney Hillman Health Center, Rochester Regional Joint Board, and our members raised over $3,407 for the American Heart Association Heart Walk and Run, crushing last years total! With our corporate donation, the total raised was over $8,407. Even with the cold, wet, and windy weather, many of our members came out to participate and support the drive. Congrats everyone! Here’s video of some of the day’s activities:
Rep. Louise Slaughter
The Rochester Regional Joint Board of Workers United is saddened by the news of New York State Congresswoman, Louise Slaughter’s passing. She was a dear friend and a fierce advocate for organized labor. She will be greatly missed.
Gimme! Coffee Baristas Unanimously Ratify Their First Union Contract
Gimme! Coffee Baristas Unanimously Ratify Their First Union Contract ROCHESTER – February 7, 2018 – Baristas at the Ithaca, NY based coffee chain, Gimme! Coffee, unanimously voted to ratify their first union contract with their employer with the help of Workers United – Rochester Regional Joint Board and the Tompkins County Workers Center. The contract follows a successful union organizing campaign that culminated with an overwhelming union victory this past summer in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board. The workers at Gimme! Coffee are one of the first coffee chain baristas in the country to organize for union representation. Says Gimme! Coffee Barista Samantha Mason: ” Having a contract that protects me and my co-workers is only one of the benefits to having a union. For me, the most integral part of this has been to see how far my co-workers and I have come in building solidarity, in rebalancing power and having the courage to take action and create a better workplace. It’s important to me that all workers understand that they can change their workplace.” Gary Bonadonna Jr., Manager of Rochester Regional Joint Board, stated: “I would like to salute the Gimme! Coffee baristas for the dedication and hard work they put in to organize their union and negotiate an initial union contract. They are an inspirational group. If as a society we truly want to address the issue of economic inequality, then the Gimme! workers offer part of the solution: work together and organize a union. Too often workers in this country who want to organize a union to make improvements on their job have to walk through a minefield of threats and intimidation by their employer. I want to recognize Gimme! Coffee management for not going down that road. My hope is that other employers will follow this more ethical path.” Kevin Cuddeback, Owner and CEO of Gimme! Coffee said: “I’m a proponent of people coming together to build a better world, and I look forward to working with the union toward the advancement of the company mission.” A few highlights of the contract are: A union “just cause” clause that protects workers from unfair discipline or discharge A union grievance and arbitration procedure to resolve any workplace problems Wage increases Establishment of a paid sick day program Monthly joint labor/management meetings Pete Meyers, Coordinator of the Tompkins County Workers Center, issued the following statement: “We’re very happy for the Gimme! Coffee baristas of Workers’ United local 2833 for having the wherewithal to stand together and form a union within their workplaces throughout Tompkins County, and congratulate them on negotiating their first contract. We praise the management of Gimme! Coffee and its owner, Kevin Cuddeback, for responsibly being neutral towards the baristas’ desire to organize a union in their workplace, and for their good faith efforts in the negotiation process.” Restaurant and hospitality workers, in general, interested in organizing a union should contact Gary Bonadonna Jr., Rochester Regional Joint Board at (585) 473-3280. ### For Additional Information: Julie Black Communications Consultant Rochester Regional Joint Board jblack@rrjb.org (585) 730-3915
Staff Make Donations to Hillside
Each year the staff at Rochester Regional Joint Board and the Sidney Hillman Health Center collect toys for Hillside Children Center. Hillside serves over 4,000 children in our community and these presents are used to make children’s holidays a little brighter. Some children are separated from their families for various reasons and are residing at a Hillside facility, others are with family but may be experiencing difficulties through this season and are using the resources that Hillside provides to help them. Hillside tries to give each child a reason to celebrate in spite of difficult circumstances by giving them a few gifts. Sidney Hillman and RRJB have been a consistent donor to this cause and this year was by far the largest contribution. Outstanding!
Get a Glimpse into Members’ Work Day
Get a glimpse into the working day of SUNY Albany and SUNY Plattsburgh food service workers. SUNY Albany SUNY Plattsburgh
Rochester Regional Joint Board Celebrates 50 Years on East Avenue
The Rochester Regional Joint Board (RRJB) and the Sidney Hillman Health Center (SHHC) will be celebrating 50 years at their building at 750 East Avenue on Friday, October 13. The event will start at 3:30 PM with a reception immediately following. All members of the union family are invited. The ceremony will be held at the front lawn and entrance of the building and speakers will include New York State Assembly Leader Joseph Morelle, New York State Senator Joseph Robach, New York State Assembly Member Harry Bronson, renowned Labor Attorney Michael Harren, former Chairman of Hickey-Freeman Walter B. D. “Duffy” Hickey, Jr., and Workers United International President, Lynne Fox. The manager of RRJB, Gary Bonadonna, Jr., will host the proceedings. SaveSave SaveSave
Over 300 Jobs Saved for Vernon Downs Members
The Rochester Regional Joint Board (RRJB) fought for and saved over 300 jobs at Vernon Downs Gaming and Racetrack this summer. This success was the result of efforts from Business Agent, Erin Young, and her ability to direct and mobilize RRJB members and her work with state legislators to pass a state bill. Vernon Downs had been struggling to compete in a saturated casino market and faced a business shutdown. When Erin Young stepped in and looked at the books, she saw that the casino was losing hundreds of thousand dollars per month. The most obvious step was to ask for tax relief to put money back into capital awards. When state legislators were approached for help, many declined believing it to be an unpopular political move. “That’s when we had to think outside the box and get creative,” Young said. “We kept our lines of communication open and we let everyone know the importance of keeping labor jobs in New York State. Even those lawmakers that don’t like the casino industry recognized that beyond the industry, it was about protecting the residents that rely on decent jobs with livable wages. This is what made the difference. The union made clear that it was about the workers,” Young said. +++ A more detailed story of this campaign will be published in the next issue of Reflections, the RRJB newsletter.
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