Political Action
Political Action
UFCW 951 and its members are politically active because politics has such a strong impact on workers and their families. Michigan workers have been under attack. With their union, UFCW 951 members are fighting back and working hard to protect the middle class and improve the livelihoods of all Michigan workers. All that unions have fought for can be erased by the single stroke of a politician’s pen. Which is why UFCW 951 and its members are politically active.
UFCW 951 fights to protect workers and their families by opposing anti-worker legislation and supporting pro-worker bills at the local, state and national levels. The union also supports political candidates – regardless of party affiliation – who promote workers’ rights. It is not the politician’s party that is important, it’s how he or she will vote on issues affecting the middle class.
Pictured on the left, UFCW 951 President John Cakmakci, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and UFCW 951 Secretary-Treasurer Marisa Didur.
The UFCW Active Ballot Club — You Can Make a Real Difference!
Union dues cannot be used for political contributions, so UFCW 951 raises these funds separately through its Active Ballot Club (ABC). The ABC generates money through voluntary membership contributions. UFCW 951 uses these monies to support candidates, regardless of party affiliation, who support workers’ issues: Democrats, Republicans and Independents. ABC contributions help workers level the political playing field by activating and amplifying their political vote. The ABC is the only political action committee dedicated to advocating for and protecting the interests of, UFCW members.
Anti-worker politicians and their wealthy corporate donors are spending billions to silence workers’ political voices, making your donation to the ABC more important than ever. Pro-worker candidates do not have the financial support of billionaires, but they do have millions of middle-class Americans whose combined efforts through the ABC and similar political action funds can have the same or even greater results.
All UFCW 951 members who donate at least $1 a week to the Active Ballot Club (ABC) are entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card. Winners from each of the local’s three geographic regions are randomly selected each quarter. Here is a full list of winners from this year:
To donate, complete a donation form available from your union steward, union representative, or the union office.
Exercising Your Political Voice
UFCW 951 will often call on the membership directly to participate in political actions. The greatest impact members can have on the political process is to speak with their elected officials to communicate their position on issues critical to all Michigan workers.
Through efforts like UFCW 951’s Lobby Day at the state capitol, and the diligent efforts of UFCW 951 members and members of other unions across the state to elect pro-worker leaders in the 2022 elections, on March 24, 2023, Michigan became the first state in six decades to successfully repeal Right to Work. Union activism is alive and well in Michigan.
Register and Vote
UFCW 951 is working to ensure labor’s hard-fought gains are not eliminated by the stroke of a politician’s pen. By casting your ballot in local, state and national elections, you have an opportunity to elect candidates who will protect workers’ best interests. And, by voting, you hold your elected officials accountable for their actions.