United Food and Commercial Workers
The United Food and Commercial Workers is a North American labor union representing workers across food, retail, processing, hospitality, agriculture, health care, and related industries.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, commonly known as UFCW, is a labor organization representing approximately 1.2 million workers in the United States and Canada. Its membership spans supermarket and retail employees, meatpacking and food-processing workers, agricultural laborers, hospitality employees, health-care personnel, chemical and textile workers, security staff, cannabis workers, and employees in related service industries. Rather than selling consumer products, UFCW operates as a membership-based representative organization whose principal functions include collective bargaining, workplace organizing, contract administration, legal and political advocacy, training, and member services. UFCW was established in 1979 through the merger of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America and the Retail Clerks International Union. The merger combined two large labor organizations with complementary bases in food production and retail and created what was then the largest union affiliated with the AFL-CIO. William H. Wynn, previously president of the Retail Clerks International Union and one of the principal architects of the merger, became the new union's first international president. During its first two decades, UFCW expanded through both conventional organizing and a series of mergers. Affiliations and consolidations brought barber and beauty workers, retail employees, insurance workers, brewery workers, food handlers, garment and textile workers, distillery employees, chemical workers, restaurant workers, and other groups into the union. The 1993 merger with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union added approximately 100,000 members and created the RWDSU District Council within UFCW. These combinations broadened UFCW beyond its original meat-cutting and grocery base and helped establish its present multi-industry structure. The union has also been involved in major labor disputes. The 1985–1986 Hormel strike became a serious internal and reputational controversy after UFCW leadership reached an agreement with Hormel Foods and took control of the striking Austin, Minnesota, local. The conflict was later examined in the documentary American Dream. In Southern California, UFCW members struck Vons in 2003 over proposed reductions in health and retirement benefits and a two-tier employment system; Albertsons and Ralphs subsequently locked out workers. The dispute ended in February 2004 with a compromise contract. Other prominent conflicts involved Smithfield Foods, Walmart, Beam Suntory's Jim Beam operations, Stop & Shop, and Heaven Hill. UFCW has pursued organizing in emerging sectors as well as traditional food and retail workplaces. Its cannabis organizing efforts began in California around 2010 and later expanded into cannabis delivery and related businesses. That work was damaged by the criminal conduct of former UFCW Local 5 official Dan Rush, who was accused of accepting improper payments from cannabis employers and later pleaded guilty to federal charges. The international union and local union disavowed his conduct. In 2024, UFCW-represented cannabis delivery drivers at Eaze threatened to strike, and the parties reached a tentative agreement addressing pay, vehicle reimbursement, and working conditions. Institutionally, UFCW is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, the Canadian Labour Congress, UNI Global Union, and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations. UFCW left the AFL-CIO in 2005 as part of the Change to Win coalition and returned in 2013. Its international president is supported by an international executive committee and a larger international executive board. Milton Jones became international president in 2025, succeeding Anthony 'Marc' Perrone. UFCW remains an active labor organization whose public identity is centered on worker representation, organizing campaigns, contract negotiations, workplace standards, and political advocacy.
History
UFCW was formed at a founding convention in June 1979 through the merger of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America and the Retail Clerks International Union. William H. Wynn, president of the retail clerks union, became the first international president. The combination joined major constituencies in meatpacking, food production, supermarkets, and retail and initially made UFCW the largest AFL-CIO-affiliated union. The new organization expanded rapidly through mergers and organizing. In 1980, the Barbers, Beauticians and Allied Industries International Association joined. The United Retail Workers Union followed in 1981, and the Insurance Workers' International Union added approximately 15,000 members in 1983. UFCW held its first regular international convention in Montreal in 1983. Other additions included Canadian brewery workers in 1986, food handlers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts in 1991, and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union in 1993. The latter merger added approximately 100,000 members and produced the RWDSU District Council of UFCW. Further consolidations during the 1990s brought garment, textile, distillery, chemical, restaurant, sales, and production workers into the union. Douglas H. Dority became international president in 1994 after Wynn's retirement. Joseph T. Hansen succeeded Dority in 2004. In 2005, Hansen announced that UFCW would leave the AFL-CIO and join the Change to Win Federation with several other large unions. UFCW returned to the AFL-CIO in August 2013. The union's history includes both organizing victories and difficult disputes. UFCW's handling of the 1985–1986 Hormel strike in Austin, Minnesota, generated criticism after international leaders reached a settlement with Hormel Foods and removed the striking local's leadership. The dispute became the subject of the documentary American Dream. In 2003–2004, UFCW members in Southern California struck Vons over health-care and pension changes and a proposed two-tier wage structure; Albertsons and Ralphs locked out workers after the strike began. The eventual settlement preserved some existing benefits while accepting concessions on tiers and overall benefit structures. UFCW also pursued a lengthy organizing campaign at Smithfield Foods' meatpacking plant in Bladen County, North Carolina. Smithfield filed a federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act lawsuit against the union in 2007, alleging that UFCW's public campaign was an improper pressure tactic. The parties reached an agreement in 2008 under which UFCW suspended its boycott, Smithfield dropped the lawsuit, and the company permitted a new representation election. Workers voted to join UFCW in December 2008. The union has repeatedly criticized Walmart's nonunion labor model and attempted to organize its U.S. workforce. In Canada, UFCW briefly secured recognition at several Walmart stores, although those relationships ended through store closures, decertification, or unsuccessful bargaining. UFCW also launched the Wake Up Walmart campaign in 2005 to promote changes in Walmart's employment practices. Beginning around 2010, UFCW explored organizing in California's medical-cannabis sector. The effort was associated with Dan Rush of UFCW Local 5, who later faced federal charges concerning improper payments from cannabis employers. Rush pleaded guilty in 2017 and served a federal prison sentence; UFCW organizations disavowed his conduct. Cannabis organizing nevertheless remained part of UFCW's broader effort to represent workers in emerging industries. Later labor conflicts included a 2016 strike by roughly 250 Jim Beam workers in Kentucky, a 2019 strike by approximately 31,000 Stop & Shop workers in the Northeast, and a 2021 strike by roughly 420 workers at Heaven Hill's Bardstown, Kentucky, distillery. UFCW continued to represent workers in food, retail, agriculture, hospitality, health care, cannabis, and related fields. Marc Perrone led the union from 2014 until 2025, when Milton Jones became international president. The union is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, Canadian Labour Congress, UNI Global Union, and the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations.
- 2025
Milton Jones takes office
[1]Milton Jones became international president after Marc Perrone's tenure.
- 2013
Reaffiliation with the AFL-CIO
[1]UFCW announced that it would return to the AFL-CIO.
- 2005
Departure from the AFL-CIO
[1]UFCW left the AFL-CIO and joined the Change to Win Federation.
- 1993
RWDSU merger
[1]The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union merged into UFCW, adding approximately 100,000 members.
- 1983
First regular international convention
[1]UFCW held its first regular international convention in Montreal and incorporated additional insurance-worker membership.
- 1979
UFCW founded
[1]The Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America merged with the Retail Clerks International Union to create UFCW.
Products and positioning
A large, sector-diverse labor union positioned as a collective representative for workers in food, retail, production, service, and related industries.
Labor representation · 1979
Collective bargaining representation
UFCW negotiates collective agreements covering wages, benefits, scheduling, job security, workplace rules, and dispute procedures. Its bargaining work serves employees in supermarkets, meatpacking, food processing, hospitality, agriculture, health care, and other industries.
Union organizing · 1979
Organizing campaigns
The union conducts workplace-organizing and recognition campaigns intended to bring nonunion workers into UFCW bargaining units. Campaigns have targeted traditional employers in food and retail as well as newer sectors such as cannabis.
Member services · 1979
Member advocacy and support
Through its locals and international structure, UFCW supports members with grievance processing, contract enforcement, workplace advocacy, benefits issues, political education, and campaigns concerning safety and employment standards.
Controversies
2015
Federal case involving former cannabis-organizing official Dan Rush
Federal prosecutors indicted former UFCW Local 5 official Dan Rush in connection with allegations that he accepted improper payments from cannabis employers. Rush later pleaded guilty and served a federal prison sentence. UFCW and the local disowned his conduct.
1986
Hormel strike and control of Local P-9
UFCW's handling of the 1985–1986 Hormel meatpacking strike, including its settlement with Hormel and intervention in the striking Austin, Minnesota, local, drew criticism within the labor movement and damaged the union's reputation among some observers.
Marketing campaigns
- 2010California cannabis organizing
United States
UFCW Local 5 began organizing medical-cannabis businesses and workers in California, linking cannabis employment to the union's existing interests in retail, agriculture, health care, food processing, and related work.
Outcome. Some recognition and neutrality agreements were reached, although relatively few produced sustained dues-paying cannabis memberships.
- 2005Wake Up Walmart
United States
UFCW created Wake Up Walmart as a public campaign criticizing Walmart's employment practices and promoting higher workplace standards.
Outcome. The campaign increased public advocacy around Walmart but did not produce broad U.S. union recognition at the retailer.
Brand decisions
2019
Stop & Shop strike settlementOtherBackground
Workers opposed proposed reductions affecting compensation and benefits after extended contract negotiations.
Action taken
Approximately 31,000 workers struck for eleven days across three Northeastern states.
Aftermath
A tentative agreement preserved health and pension benefits and increased employee pay.
2008
Settlement of the Smithfield organizing disputeStrategyBackground
Smithfield Foods had challenged UFCW's organizing and boycott campaign through federal litigation.
Action taken
UFCW agreed to suspend its boycott while Smithfield dropped its RICO lawsuit and permitted a new representation election.
Aftermath
Workers at the North Carolina plant voted to join UFCW in December 2008.
2005
Leave the AFL-CIO and join Change to WinStrategyBackground
UFCW leadership joined other large unions seeking a different approach to organizing and labor movement coordination.
Action taken
The union withdrew from the AFL-CIO and helped establish the Change to Win Federation.
Aftermath
UFCW rejoined the AFL-CIO in 2013.
Recent events
- 2025
Milton Jones becomes international president[1]
Leadership change
Milton Jones succeeded Marc Perrone as UFCW international president.
- 2024
UFCW cannabis delivery workers reach tentative Eaze agreement[1]
Other
Drivers represented by UFCW threatened to strike against California cannabis delivery company Eaze. A tentative agreement addressed compensation, vehicle reimbursement, and working conditions.
- 2019
Stop & Shop workers strike in the Northeast[1]
Other
Approximately 31,000 UFCW-represented workers in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut struck over proposed reductions to pay and benefits. The eleven-day stoppage ended with an agreement preserving health and pension benefits and increasing pay.
- 2013
UFCW returns to the AFL-CIO[1]
Other
UFCW announced that it would reaffiliate with the AFL-CIO after leaving the federation in 2005 to help establish Change to Win.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/united-food-and-commercial-workers-united-states · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled