As we celebrate Labor Day, I want to take a moment to recognize what this day truly represents: the dignity of work, the value of working people, and the power we have when we stand together.

Labor Day was born from the efforts of working people who understood that a good job should mean more than a paycheck. It should provide dignity, fairness, a voice on the job, and the opportunity to build a better life for ourselves and our families. Those principles remain just as important today as they were generations ago.

Labor Day is a reminder that the rights and benefits we enjoy were not simply given to us. They were organized, negotiated, and fought for by generations of union members who stood together. The wages, benefits, protections, and respect that we have today are the result of people who understood that individually we can be ignored, but collectively we have a voice that cannot be ignored.

That responsibility now belongs to us.

Our strength as a Union does not come simply from having a contract. Our strength comes from our members being informed, involved, and willing to stand together to enforce that contract. When we report violations, support our Shop Stewards, participate in our Union, and hold employers accountable, we protect not only ourselves but the members who will come after us.

We have important work ahead. Employers are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs, eliminate bargaining-unit work, change working conditions, and do more with fewer employees. The best response is not division or resignation—it is unity and organization.

This Labor Day, I encourage every member to take pride in being part of something bigger than yourself. Talk to your coworkers. Know your rights. Stay informed. Get involved. Support your Shop Steward and your fellow members. And, most importantly, remember that our Union is only as strong as the members who stand together.

On behalf of the officers and staff of UFCW Local 1000, thank you for the work you do every day and for everything you contribute to your families, your workplaces, and our communities.

This Labor Day, we celebrate our work. We honor those who fought before us. And we recommit ourselves to standing together for a better future.



In solidarity,

Ricky Burris

UFCW Local 1000 President