The Holiday Season

By DAVID A. COOK
President

By the time you read this, Thanksgiving will be behind us, but the holiday season will be far from over, and that means a lot of hard work is still to come from the men and women of Local 655.

Because UFCW partners have their hand in retail as well as food production and processing, the overwhelming majority of Local 655 partners are particularly busy right now. Grocery stores are filled to the brim as families gather all the essential ingredients for that special meal, processing facilities like Miller Ham and Double G Ham are pumping out extra product that will find a spot on the dinner table, and in the Holten Meat plant or over at Edmond’s Chili, production increases during the season as Americans celebrate with family and friends and consume more than usual.

More than one million UFCW partners nationwide are working hard this time of year, and because so many of you are directly involved in helping families put food on their tables, it’s no stretch to say that UFCW family makes the holidays happen.

Of course, that means it’s busy. We’re moving faster, working harder, and spending more hours on the job. And right here in Missouri, countless families owe hard-working union men and women like you thanks.

The holidays also mean that our retail grocery stores are busier than normal. I would be remiss if I didn’t remind our partners that during this time of year, theft often increases. Remember that your stores are insured, and your safety is the most important thing. No shoplifter is worth risking your health by putting yourself in a dangerous situation.

A TIME TO GIVE
Our partners already do so much for the community. Just by doing your hard work, you’re helping families feed their loved ones.

During this time of year, your union also works to improve the community. That’s why we’re holding our Third Annual Holiday Toy Drive. We’re collecting toys for those in need this season, and I’m proud to say that every year we are able to brighten the holidays for families around St. Louis.

If you would like to contribute this year to our toy drive, you can drop off any new unwrapped toys for children of any age at our union hall during normal business hours. We are also accepting any check or cash donations to purchase toys for the drive.

UFCW Locals across the country and right here in Missouri have charitable relationships with a number of wonderful organizations. If you want to give something this season to help those in need, you can also visit http://ufcwcharityfoundation.org for a list of our partnerships.