States Largest Grocery Workers Union Endorses Kathleen Rice for Attorney General

QUEENS VILLAGE, NY (06/04/2010)(readMedia)-- The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1500, New York State's largest grocery workers union has endorsed Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice for New York State attorney general today.

"Kathleen Rice has gone above and beyond her call of duty to fight for working people as a district attorney, and we know she'll do the same as New York's attorney general," said UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both. "Of all the candidates running, only District Attorney Rice has the experience and the record of directing a large staff of attorneys to take on large corporations and defend the public's right to fair wages, safe working conditions and fraud-free public spending. We wholeheartedly endorse District Attorney Rice for attorney general."

UFCW Local 1500 represents 23,000 grocery workers across New York State and is an active participant in the political campaigns it gets involved in. It is a big supporter of bringing more Supermarkets to underserved communities and it serves on the New York State Supermarket Commission. The Union also supports the Wage Theft Prevention Act, a bill that ensures employees are paid the minimum wage and overtime according to law. The union also has an active "Women's Network," which assesses issues particular to women like domestic violence and breast cancer awareness, and develops action programs to address them. Over half of UFCW Local 1500's members are women.

"UFCW Local 1500 is a powerhouse in both workers rights and state politics," District Attorney Rice said. "Their endorsement is a stamp of approval and a badge of honor for anyone seeking to represent New Yorkers. I'm honored that this union is recognizing my dedication to this State's workers and look forward to campaigning with Local 1500's members this summer."

UFCW Local 1500 President Bruce W. Both continued his praise of Kathleen Rice's record ."UFCW Local 1500 recognizes District Attorney Rice has made workers' rights and labor issues a priority as District Attorney," President Both stated. "In 2008, It was Kathleen Rice who took on Walmart and their handling of a fatal Black Friday stampede. District Attorney Rice's investigation forced Walmart to agree to a series of unprecedented and sweeping safety reforms designed to protect consumers and store workers during similar sales at any of Walmart's nearly 100 New York stores, as well as set up a $1.5 million victims' compensation fund. This is just another example of why she is the right person for the job," Both concluded.