{"id":53,"date":"2012-05-06T21:30:49","date_gmt":"2012-05-06T21:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ufcw.org\/?page_id=53"},"modified":"2025-11-17T09:36:46","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T14:36:46","slug":"our-structure","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/about\/our-structure\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Structure"},"content":{"rendered":"
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There are over 300 UFCW local unions in the U.S. and Canada. These local unions bargain contracts, help non-union workers organize, and in general handle most of the day-to-day issues that directly affect members.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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If you are a UFCW member looking for specific information about your contract or news in your area, it is best to reach out to your local union office<\/a>. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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These local offices make up eight geographic regions- seven dividing up the United States and another region for Canada. Each region is headed by a regional director who oversees a staff that provides assistance to the local unions within its geographical jurisdiction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Those regions and locals are all a part of the greater UFCW International Union. The UFCW International Union is organized by departments and divisions to effectively serve the interests of UFCW members.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Bargaining Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Bargaining Department works in concert with UFCW regions and local unions to protect and improve the jobs and wages of UFCW members.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Capital Stewardship Program<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The UFCW Capital Stewardship Program spearheads the union\u2019s efforts to protect the retirement security of its members and promote corporate best practices and reform.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Civil Rights and Community Action Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Civil Rights and Community Action Department is dedicated to advancing the principles and practices of equality, freedom, and economic and social justice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Communications Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Communications Department creates an image and identity for the UFCW that generates member involvement, promotes organizing and growth, and garners support in the field of public opinion for UFCW campaigns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Distillery, Wine and Allied Workers Division<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Distillery, Wine and Allied Workers Division represents UFCW members engaged in the production, sales, and warehouse distribution of spirits and wine concentrated in the northeast, southeast, and west coast of the United States.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division represents more than 350,000 industrial and processing workers in the meatpacking, food processing, chemical, garment and textile.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Global Strategies Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Through the Global Strategies Department, the UFCW plays a premier leadership role in reaching out and fostering solidarity with labor unions around the world to the collective benefit of all workers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Legal Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Legal Department\u2019s main concern is securing the protections that employees are entitled to under law, while working to find new ways to advance the interests of UFCW members and all working people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Legislative and Political Action Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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In all phases of the legislative and political process and at all levels of government, the Legislative and Political Action Department works to advance and protect the interests of UFCW members, their families, and their communities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Negotiated Benefits Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The mission of the Negotiated Benefits Department is to provide technical and collective bargaining support to UFCW local unions on issues related to bargained health insurance and pensions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Occupational Safety and Health Office<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Occupational Safety and Health Office develops programs and materials to improve safety on the job for workers in a wide range of occupations\u2014from meatpacking and food processing plants to grocery stores, nursing homes and garment and textile factories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Visit the Occupational Safety and Health website to learn more.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Organizing Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Organizing Department energizes and strengthens the UFCW\u2019s long-term organizing strategy with a proactive approach that identifies, challenges and transforms them into opportunities to bring a voice to more of America\u2019s workforce.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Retail Stores Division<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The retail stores division assists the members, local unions, and regions\/councils in organizing workers and contract negotiations in the retail industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Strategic Resources Department<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Strategic Resources Department provides research and analysis to support UFCW organizing campaigns shaped to concentrate growth in our core industries, while also providing information and technical assistance in support of UFCW collective bargaining efforts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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UFCW Councils<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Council efforts build stronger communities, safer workplaces and a brighter future for workers and their families across North America.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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International Chemical Workers Union Council (ICWUC)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Improving on-the-job safety for members and negotiating strong contracts with good wages, benefits and job protections are the priorities the ICWUC pursues to best represent members in the chemical industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Nationally recognized for its contributions to chemical worker safety, the council\u2019s Center for Workers\u2019 Health and Safety Education is located in Cincinnati, Ohio, and trains 25-30 local union members each week. The council also operates a Health and Safety Department from its headquarters that provides job site training programs. One of the most important avenues for improving job safety is legislation at both the state and national level. The council lobbies for laws and regulations that ensure chemical workers a safe workplace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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In addition to the safety programs, the wages and benefits UFCW members in the chemical industry earn demonstrates the commitment the International Chemical Workers Union Council has to its membership. With the combined effort of the council\u2019s staff and local union leaders at the bargaining table, UFCW chemical workers take home the best wages in the industry and enjoy benefits and job security that make a substantial difference in the health and livelihood of their families, and all workers in the chemical industry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Visit the ICWUC Website to learn more.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union District Council (RWDSU)<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The RWDSU  serves members in the retail food and food processing, retail and department stores, service, manufacturing and warehousing industries. Council efforts build stronger communities, safer workplaces and a brighter future for workers and their families across North America.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The council\u2019s focus is on organizing across the United States and Canada. From supermarket delivery personnel to airline caterers to poultry workers, the RWDSU Council is bringing a voice to workers with a diverse range of backgrounds in many industries. The council also puts together get-out-the-vote drives on behalf of worker-friendly candidates that make a difference on election day and extend the voice of union members to the halls of government. This organizing and political power helps workers protect hard-won gains at the bargaining table and maintain a good quality of life for their families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The RWDSU Council stands proudly with all UFCW members in building better lives for working people\u2014ready to grow the UFCW and RWDSU Council into the future to raise the voices of working men and women to ensure that all people share the benefits of the economies they help generate and sustain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Visit the RWDSU website to learn more.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are over 300 UFCW local unions in the U.S. and Canada. These local unions bargain contracts, help non-union workers organize, and in general handle most of the day-to-day issues that directly affect members. If you are a UFCW member looking for specific information about your contract or news in your area, it is best […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23942,"parent":54,"menu_order":4,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-53","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOur Structure - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/about\/our-structure\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Our Structure - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"There are over 300 UFCW local unions in the U.S. and Canada. 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