Who We Are

The UFCW Women's Network, founded in 1988, works to motivate and encourage women to become active in their local unions so they can contribute toward building and strengthening the UFCW. More than half of the UFCW's 1.4 million members are women—and we are a powerful resource for our union.

The active participation of women members in the UFCW enhances our strength at the bargaining table, in organizing campaigns, and in the political arena.

What We Do

Thousands of Women's Network activists across the U.S. and Canada donate their time and energy to ensure the success of a wide variety of local union organizing, voter registration, educational, political, and community activities. Coordinating with the UFCW Working Women's Department, organizing is a top priority. Statistics show that women are joining unions in larger numbers than any other demographic group. To respond to this opportunity, the Network launched its "Women Organizing Women" outreach effort, which recruits, trains, and mobilizes activists to participate in local union organizing campaigns—especially those involving women workers.

The Network also is making a difference in communities throughout North America by conducting neighborhood food drives. UFCW members prepare food, package, stock, and sell millions of tons of food each year. As such, we have a special interest in reaching out to combat hunger in the U.S. and Canada, two of the world's wealthiest nations.

The Women's Network also works to alert the UFCW members and the public about child labor, foreign-made products, policies and practices of anti-union companies that undercut our economy and our communities, the need for national health care reform, and tools and techniques for preventing domestic and workplace violence.

Network members also participate in many community activities such as assisting women's shelters; teaching about labor unions in schools; raising money for breast cancer research; conducting food, clothing, and cell phone drives; and offering child care scholarships to working families.

How We Work

The UFCW Women's Network is governed by an international chair, an eight-member executive committee, and regional representatives elected by Network members in each UFCW region. The chair and co-chairs are elected by delegates to the Network's biennial convention.

The current officers of the UFCW 555 Women’s Network include:

Lynda Hart, Chair
Shelly Talbott, Co-Chair
Scottie Graser, Secretary
Mary Spicher, Treasurer

Standing committees include: organizing and collective bargaining; education and political action; and membership and communications.

The Network shares information with members and other interested activists through the Network News, which reports on Network activities on the national and regional levels.

Join Us!

The Women’s Network welcomes all UFCW Sisters and Brothers who want to help create a brighter, more secure future for working families. We invite you to join us!

Download the Application!