Clay, Anderson re-elected
leaders of UFCW #555
Local 21 in Seattle.
Dan Clay has been
elected to a second term as
Grocery, meat and
president of United Food
central checkout con-
and Commercial Workers
tracts in Portland and
Local 555. He defeated
the Bend area also were
challenger Paul Petillo by a
conducted under Unity
vote of 1,830 to 629.
Bargaining.
Mail-in ballots were
Those efforts were
counted Sept. 8.
recognized by the inter-
Jeff Anderson was re-
national union last April,
elected to a second term as
when President Joe
secretary-treasurer by ac-
Hansen presented Local
clamation.
555 with a Unity Bar-
Terms are for three
D AN C LAY
gaining Award at its
years.
Steward Summit.
Clay, 34, has worked for
Currently, Unity
the union since May 2000,
Bargaining is being
having started in a tempo-
used to negotiate multi-
rary position as a member-
employer grocery con-
ship coordinator. He also
tracts covering Eugene,
held jobs there as an organ-
Salem, Roseburg, Med-
izer and union rep before
ford, Coos Bay, Van-
running for president, fol-
couver and Longview.
lowing the retirement of
“This the largest
Gene Pronovost.
membership driven col-
Anderson, 53, has been
lective bargaining com-
a member of the union for
mittee I’ve ever seen,”
35 years. He started in the
Anderson said. “Now,
grocery industry at age 14
J EFF A NDERSON
when we set bargaining
in Dalles, Oregon. He
dates, employers are ask-
joined the union at age 18
after taking a job at a Fred Meyer store ing how many people we’re bringing.”
The Eugene area bargaining com-
in Salem. The union hired him as an
organizer in 1986. Since then, he has mittee is comprised of 45 union
worked in nearly every department of members.
Clay and Anderson said that during
the local, including organizing director,
director of legislative and committee their first term they also re-established
affairs, and assistant director of collec- the local’s Organizing Department. To-
day, that department employs seven or-
tive bargaining.
Clay and Anderson ran on a slate in ganizers who are about to embark “on
2008, and again in 2011.
the most aggressive organizing this
“Jeff and I have a unique way of do- union has seen in years,” Anderson
ing things. We collaborate. We’re a said.
team,” Clay said. “He does some things
Recent organizing victories include
well. I do some things well. We com- a long-term care facility in Coos Bay,
plement each other’s strengths and and grocery and central checkout em-
weaknesses.”
ployees at a new Fred Meyer store in
They say they’ve made major Wilsonville. Local 555 also has filed
strides in their first term to activate the for an election at a food co-op in Ash-
membership. “Rank-and-file union land.
leadership is unionism at its best,” Clay
“We recognize that organizing new
said. “The key to success in the labor members is the best way to strengthen
movement, or the key to its failure, is all of our contracts,” Clay said.
membership involvement. When mem-
Local 555 represents more than
bers are involved, they’re more willing 19,000 workers in Oregon and South-
to fight for something. When they’re
west Washington. It is the largest pri-
less involved, they’re less willing to
vate-sector union in the state.
fight.”
That activism, the duo said, has
helped salvage some benefits in med-
ical and pension plans during a time
STAT OF THE WEEK
when most employers wanted to gut
them (following the Great Recession
The richest family in America?
stock market collapse).
That remains the clan of Wal-Mart
founder Sam Walton. The six Wal-
Clay and Anderson credit “Unity
ton heirs on the latest Forbes 400
Bargaining” for the early success. First
list released late last month hold a
rolled out by the international union in
combined fortune of $93 billion. If
2008, Local 555 implemented it for
that $93 billion sat in an investment
non-food bargaining with Fred Meyer.
returning 3 percent, the six would
In those successful negotiations, con-
average $465 million each this year
tracts in Portland, Salem, Coos Bay,
in income. An assistant Wal-Mart
Newberg, and Longview were bar-
store manager would have to work
gained simultaneously — and in tan-
10,764 years to match that total.
dem with grocery bargaining at sister
PAGE 12
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
OCTOBER 7, 2011