Treat Working Families This Halloween

As you get prepare for trick-or-treaters this year, I urge you to support the companies that support fair wages and working conditions.  Union members and other supporters of working families carry enormous buying power into the marketplace, and even corporations unfriendly to unions understand the bottom line.

So this year, take a look at this list of American-made, union-made candy and snacks provided by the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers Union Local 6.

Hopefully, you make these purchases at labor friendly retailers.

Candies

Just Born Candies makers of Mike & Ike,
Hot Tamales, Jelly Beans
Marshmallow Peeps & Bunnies
Peanut Chews
Linette’s Chocolates – Mini Peanut Butter, Mint, Caramel Cups
Frankford Chocolates
Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops, Dots, Mini Dots, Tootsie Fruit Rolls, Child’s Play
Nestle Crunch, Pearson Nips, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Butterfinger Crisp, Laffy Taffy
Hershey Bars, Kisses, Snack Bars, Rolo, Russel Stovers
Mallow Cups, Mary Jane, Necco Wafers, Sky Bars, Clark Bars, Necco Peanut Butter Kisses
Herman Goelitz – Jelly Belly, Licorice, Gummi Products,
Malted Milk Balls, Red Vines, Candy Corn


Snacks



Bachman Pretzels, Jax Cheese Curls, Keystone Snacks Party Mix, Cheese Curls, Corn Chips, Pretzels
Nabisco Corn Nuts, Chips Ahoy!, Oreos, Nutter Butter, Nilla Wafers, Graham Crackers
Keebler – Chips Deluxe, Pecan Sandies, Cheez-Its, Vanilla Wafers
Frito-Lay – Doritos, Rold Gold, Lays Potato Chips

Fast-Food Wages Costing Taxpayers Billions

For years, I’ve been trying to convince my Republican colleagues that strong minimum wages help reduce the cost of government and promote self reliance.

A university study released this week, strongly supports that argument.

The study, conducted by the University of California-Berkeley and the University of Illinois, reveals that more than half of American fast-food workers rely on public assistance to make ends meet.  A corresponding study by the National Employment Law Project found that the 10 largest fast-food companies cost taxpayers $3.8 billion a year in public assistance because their workers aren’t earning enough to get by.

By blocking attempts to adjust the minimum wage for inflation, conservative lawmakers are increasing the cost of government daily.  Since public assistance benefits are largely based on the national poverty rate, the number of workers dependent on government assistance rises as the poverty rate is adjusted for inflation each year.  To read a full report on the study, click here.

If you’re worried that paying fast-food workers better wages would force price increases on consumers, you can shop for a Papa John’s Pizza on line:

I also called across the country to inquire about a Quarter Pounder (with cheese).  A McDonalds in Spokane charges $3.79, while the same sandwich in Lemoyne is $3.99.  You can see that if you’re making minimum wage in Spokane, you earn nearly $2 an hour more, and pay a dollar less for a pizza and 20 cents less for a Quarter Pounder.

You can shop yourself by clicking here.