Earlier this week, The Colorado Sun highlighted the continued anti-worker crackdown by Kim Cordova and United Food and Commercial Workers (“UFCW”) Local 7 against their own union members.
Back in April, Imperfect Union exposed Cordova and her UFCW cronies as they began issuing hefty fines and attempting to confiscate earned wages from hardworking members who chose to continue working and put food on their families’ tables during the January King Soopers strike. Now, The Colorado Sun tells the disheartening story of two union members who were fined a combined $4,600+ by UFCW Local 7.
Union Members File Unfair Labor Charges Against UFCW Local 7
In response to those unfair and seemingly illegal fines, the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation filed unfair labor charges on behalf of the two union members against UFCW Local 7 with the National Labor Relations Board.
“What this case is about are two workers who did decide to work despite what the UFCW officials wanted, and they resigned their union membership so they could do so,” said Patrick Semmens, Vice President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation.
“The fact that the union doesn’t have the legal authority to issue such fines doesn’t always stop them from attempting to do so. Unfortunately, the incentives are basically there for them to try and fine everyone they can under the sun and then later figure out whether those fines are actually legal under federal labor law or not,” Semmens continued.
Kim’s Secret Tribunal
Despite those union members doing everything right, Cordova and Local 7 still ordered them to pay the hefty fines or appeal them to Cordova’s tribunal populated by union executives who issued the fines in the first place.
When The Colorado Sun reached out to UFCW Local 7 and Cordova for comment on the unfair labor charge, Cordova refused to answer for the retaliatory attack she’s continued against the union members she’s supposed to represent.
Union members deserve to hear from Cordova why UFCW Local 7 – which has $14.7 million in cash – is attempting to confiscate thousands more out of its members’ pockets.
Where’s Marc Perrone?
Another voice missing from the conversation? UFCW Big Boss Marc Perrone.
Why is Perrone allowing union bosses like Kim Cordova to bully union members while simultaneously preaching the benefits of union membership? Are up to $3,800 in fines for showing up to work the type of union benefits to which Marc Perrone refers?
UFCW members across the country now more than ever need Perrone to step up, do his job and stand up for the hundreds of thousands of hard-working UFCW members who could potentially endure the same fate as Local 7 members so long as power-crazed local union bosses like Cordova go unchecked.
Marc? Kim? Where are you?