UFCW International Union

The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) is the largest affiliate of the AFL-CIO, representing 1.4 million men and women in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. UFCW members work in supermarkets, hardware stores, warehouses, department stores, packing houses, manufacturing and processing plants, health care institutions, nursing homes, banks, and other service and retail areas. UFCW members are also shoe workers, barbers and cosmetologists, and professionals, among others. In all, members of the UFCW work in over 100 different industries under nearly 12,750 separate Union contracts. The activities of the International Union are coordinated within the following departments: Collective Bargaining & Negotiated Benefits, Organizing, Public Affairs, Civil Rights, Food Processing / Packing / Manufacturing, International Affairs, Women's Affairs, Professional Division, and Retail Division. The UFCW is led by a President, who serves as its chief executive officer; a Secretary-Treasurer, who is the chief administrative officer; and three Executive Vice Presidents. International officers are elected every five years at the UFCW International Convention.

Local 881

Local 881 is an autonomous Local Union chartered by the UFCW that represents 36,000 members primarily in Illinois and in Northwest Indiana. Our members are employed in the retail food, drug, and hardware industries, as well as the professional division comprised of barbers, nursing home and health care employees, cosmeticians, and workers in other service areas. The diversity of our membership includes such occupations as optical technicians; clothing, furniture, bakery, and auto parts store clerks; nurses; stockyard employees; and much more. The larger grocery chains under contract with Local 881 include: Jewel Food Stores, Osco Drug, Dominick's, Kroger, WiseWay, Strack and Van Til, Ultra Foods, CVS/pharmacy, Shop 'N Save, Schnucks, Local 881 also represents a wide variety of retail and service companies and many independent operators. Local 881 is headquartered in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago), with additional offices located in Springfield (Central IL), Edwardsville (Southern IL), Marion (Southern IL).

Regional Affiliation

Local 881 is part of UFCW Region 6 (Northcentral). There are eight Regions within the UFCW International along with the Canadian Region. Local Unions are able to rely upon their Region Office to provide assistance, when necessary, in the areas of collective bargaining, organizing, negotiated benefits, research, education and other matters.

Origins of the UFCW

The UFCW was created in 1979 at a convention that merged the Retail Clerks International Union and the Amalgamated Meatcutters and Butcher Workmen. The Barbers, Beauticians and Allied Industries International Association became part of the UFCW in 1980; the United Retail Workers Union (now Local 881) affiliated with the UFCW in 1981; in 1983 the Insurance Workers International Union became part of the UFCW. The UFCW International is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Change to Win
Change to Win was founded in September 2005 by seven unions and six million workers devoted to building a movement of working people. We are uniting workers in industries such as hospitality, construction, retail, food processing, healthcare, and trucking and transportation, among others.

The seven affiliated unions are: International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Laborers' International Union of North America, Service Employees International Union, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, United Farm Workers of America, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, and UNITE HERE.

AFL-CIO

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) was formed on December 5, 1955, by the merger of the AFL (founded in 1881) and the CIO (founded in 1935). It is comprised of over 100 autonomous National and International Unions with approximately 63,000 Local Unions and more than 13 million members. There are 51 State Federations (including Puerto Rico) and nearly 600 Central Labor Councils. Labor organizations belonging to the AFL-CIO may utilize its research, education, political and legal services for assistance.

Local 881 History

Local 881 joined the UFCW in 1981, but has a long and proud history of representing workers since1947.

By 1939, self-service supermarkets with an average of five to seven employees began opening all over. As self-service grew more acceptable and popular, the staff of some food stores rose to as many as 25, with full-timers supplemented by part-time help. The need for collective bargaining and representation soon became apparent, and Unions assumed the role of a stabilizing force in the food industry.

In 1947 Local 881's predecessor established itself as an independent Labor Union called the Jewel Food Store Employees Union (JFSEU). In 1957, the JFSEU was renamed the United Retail Workers Union (URW) to confirm its independence. Later, the United Retail Workers organized Eisner Food Stores in Central Illinois, creating what was then known as Local 595 of the URW. The staff at this time was only 12 people strong, but growing.

The mid-1960s brought more major changes to the retail food industry and, as a result, the URW was sought out by store employees for representation. Though the '60s were stable years for the Union, the URW continued to strive to achieve more for its members. As the 1970s approached, membership grew to 6,000, staff was expanded and a non-foods division was created.

In August 1981, the URW affiliated with the UFCW to become Local 881. The numbers 8-8-1 represent the URW's official charter date (August of '81) as a UFCW Local Union.

In 1983, Ronald E. Powell became President of Local 881. Hired by the Union in 1961 as a Union Representative (after having been a member himself and an employee of Jewel), Ron rose to become Supervisor of the Field Staff in 1968, Vice President/Director of Field Operations in 1973, and later served as Secretary-Treasurer. Today, in addition to leading Local 881, Ron is also a Vice President on the UFCW International Executive Board, and a Vice President of the Illinois State AFL-CIO.

In 1986, members of Springfield UFCW Local 1696 voted to merge into Local 881, as did Wood River UFCW Local 35 and Collinsville UFCW Local 219 in 1987. By this point, membership had climbed to nearly 30,000.

On November 1, 1989, Local 881 became the largest UFCW Local Union in the United States and Canada when Chicago's UFCW Local 1550 merged into Local 881. This brought our membership total to over 40,000. Local 881 members now work and/or reside throughout Northern Illinois (including the metropolitan and suburban Chicago area), Northwest Indiana, Central and Southern Illinois, and some parts of Missouri and Kentucky. We represent members employed by supermarket chains and independent grocery stores, bakery shops, drug stores, paint and hardware stores, financial institutions, health care facilities and nursing homes, barbers and cosmeticians, eye care centers, stores that sell auto parts, flowers, meat and a wide variety of other retail, service and professional areas.

How Your Union is Governed

In accordance with the UFCW Constitution and Local 881 By-laws its officers are President, Secretary-Treasurer, Recorder and the Vice Presidents. The Executive Board also includes Rank and File members as well as Local 881 staff members (who, like you, are also dues paying members.) The Officers (i.e. the Executive Board) of Local 881 are elected by the membership to serve three-year terms.

The Chief Executive Officer of Local 881 is the President, who is responsible for enforcing the By-laws and rules of our Local Union. The President also has final supervision over all Local 881 departments, the disbursement of Union funds as approved by the Executive Board, the hiring of Union personnel, and all other areas throughout the Local.

The Executive Board is the governing body of Local 881, guiding the direction and progress of the Union on behalf and in the best interest of all who belong. The Executive Board meets quarterly and typically reviews Local 881's finances, collective bargaining matters, and all other matters related to the day to day operation of the Union.

UFCW Constitution & Local 881 By-Laws

As a chartered Local of the UFCW, Local 881 is governed by the UFCW Constitution and the Local 881 By-Laws.The International Constitution may only be changed by action of the delegates to the International Convention, which is held every five years.

In addition to the Constitution, Local 881 is governed by its By-laws. These By-laws are approved by the membership and governed such issues as jurisdiction, objectives, Local Union structure, meetings and elections. All members are entitled to a copy of either document, and may contact the Union office to request them.