Grocery
Retail
Warehousing & Manufacturing
Packing and Processing
Barbers & Cosmetology
Zoos & Aquariums
COMPANIES REPRESENTED BY UFCW455













A union is a group of workers who join together to achieve better wages and benefits, respect on the job, and improved working conditions. Without a union, employers have 100% control over its employees and complete authority to make all decisions. A union places workers in a better position and also ensures job security.
At Local 455, YOU are the union!
A Strong Union
Today, UFCW 455 stands 19,000+ members strong, representing and advocating for workers in southern Texas and Louisiana.
A Stronger Contract
We are committed to providing our members with a strong contract that includes better wages and benefits, affordable healthcare, fair scheduling, safe working conditions, and much more!
Better Work-Life Balance
We think you deserve a break. When you’re a member of a union, your contract protects you when you need leave or take time off. Through our innovative programs like free college, language learning and recreational benefits, we also make sure you can make the most of your time off.
Leadership

As President of Local 455 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Brandon Hopkins has emerged as one of the youngest and most influential labor leaders in the Southern United States. Hopkins has been a union member for 15 years. He began his career as a rank-and-file member at Kroger and Special Project Union Representative, respectively, later joining the Local Union staff as a full-time representative in 2008. He worked as a Union Representative in Houston & east Texas before servicing Louisiana.
During his time in Louisiana, he was promoted to Assistant Field Director in conjunction with assisting the Local in contract negotiations across the jurisdiction. In 2014, he moved back to Houston to assist former Secretary-Treasurer, Rick Alleman, in the bargaining department and former Grievance Director, Sue Mann, in the grievance department. Hopkins was promoted to Director of Collective Bargaining and Special Assistant to the President in 2018, and Executive Assistant to the President in 2019. Hopkins has assisted in all major negotiations for the last 12 years.
Hopkins currently holds a seat on the South-Central Health and Welfare Fund & the Atlanta Health and Welfare Fund. He also maintains a seat on the board of the Texas Future Project and the Gulf Coast AFL-CIO. Additionally, Hopkins works with local and state elected officials to advance the Local’s pro-labor agenda for its members.
Hopkins is a 2015 graduate of the Harvard Trade Union Program – administered by the Harvard Law School and completed the Wharton Schools Executive Education Program on negotiations in 2016. Furthermore, Hopkins completed the Black Swan Negotiations Program sponsored by the Black Swan Group in 2022.
Thanks in large part to the support of its membership and its leadership, Local 455 will continue to have a strong history of standing up against corporate greed, corruption, mistreatment, and other employer tactics used to steal members’ hopes, dreams, and opportunities & slow the path towards prosperity.
Former Positions Held at UFCW Local 455:
– Texas Special Project Union Representative
– Texas Union Representative
– Louisiana Union Representative
– Louisiana Assistant Field Director (assisted former Secretary Treasure Rick Alleman)
– Texas Assistant Field Director (assisted former Grievance Director Sue Mann)
– Field Director for Texas
– Field Director for Louisiana
– Director of Collective Bargaining
– Special Assistant to the President (Former UFCW 455 President Bill Hopkins)
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In November 2017, Shirley was promoted to Field Director, overseeing all the Louisiana Union Representatives. Today, she serves as UFCW Local 455’s first female Secretary-Treasurer and has been filling this roll since July 2018. It’s been a long 35 years but she hopes to continue in serving the membership and staff she enjoys so much!
“UFCW Local 455 is all about making sure our members are taken care of. That’s why I’ve been with the union for over 35 years!”
Former positions held at UFCW Local 455:
- Union Representative
- Field Director
- Secretary-Treasurer
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