WE ARE UFCW455

We are dedicated to serving our members.

 

WE ARE UFCW455

UFCW Local 455 represents the hard-working men and women of Louisiana and parts of Texas. We are dedicated to serve our members by helping achieve better wages and benefits, respect on the job and improved working conditions.

Grocery

Retail

Warehousing & Manufacturing

Packing and Processing

Barbers & Cosmetology

Zoos & Aquariums

COMPANIES REPRESENTED BY UFCW455

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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

President

Brandon Hopkins

Brandon has been a union member for 13 years. He began his career working as a rank and file member at Kroger and later joined the Local Union staff in 2008. He worked as a Union Representative in Houston and then moved to Louisiana to service as Union Representative in that area. During his time in Louisiana he was promoted to Assistant Field Director.

In 2014 he moved back to Houston and assisted former Secretary Treasurer, Rick Alleman, in the bargaining department and assisted former Grievance Director, Sue Mann, in the grievance department. Brandon has served with the former administration and assisted in all major negotiations for the last ten years and has served on the South-Central Health and Welfare Fund as a Trustee since 2013. He also graduated from the Harvard Trade Union Program in 2015 and successfully completed the Wharton Schools Executive Education Program on negotiations in 2016. Brandon was promoted to Director of Collective Bargaining and Special Assistant to the President in 2018. Upon Bill’s retirement Brandon was elected President of UFCW Local 455 by the Executive Board on April 24, 2020 after fulfilling the 30-day rule per the constitution.

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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Secretary-Treasurer

Shirley Rome

Shirley has been a union member for over 35 years. Her father worked with Ingall’s Shipbuilders and was a strong union member - He taught her the value of a union. She began her career with UFCW Local 210 in Baton Rouge, LA in 1986 as the office manager. After the merger of Local 210 and Local 455 in July 1999, Shirley continued working in the Baton Rouge office. In 2001 Shirley left the office for a job as a Union Representative and enjoyed it immensely! It was then when she truly realized the joy of helping others.

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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Executive Staff

Rydell Cummings

Assistant Grievance Director

Debbie Edwards

Administrative Assistant

Salina Padilla

Executive Assistant

Kevin Pechacek

Assistant Bargaining Director

Blake Satcher

Field Director/Executive Assistant

Servicing Staff

UNION REPRESENTATIVES

Hip Arriaga

Cassandra Bradford

Matt Coleman

Garrick Gise

Coy Helton

Claudia Islas

Oscar Martinez

Paul Powell

Karla Rivera

Leonard Sanchez

SPECIAL PROJECT UNION REPRESENTATIVES (SPURS)

Alex Aguirre

Gabriel Sotomayor

Billy Whitted

“This is by far the best experience I've had with a Union. I must admit I had my reservations about unions in general due to my conservative values, but this Union actually puts us before politics. Shout out to my rep and UFCW!!!!!”

Adam W.

“This Union fights for us workers, representatives are always available and attentive to our rights, the benefits including insurance is the reason I am working with Kroger.”

Josue M.

“I use to have my doubts about unions, but these people fight for us and actually come see all of us at our plant. The rep always talks to us to make sure everything is ok, and handles issues we tell her the same week. You can tell they all genuinely care.”

Gerald M.