Episode Details

What does it take to grow a union to 50,000 members across three states? According to UFCW 3000 President Faye Guenther, it isn't a branding exercise—it’s a disciplined strategy of building "strike-ready" leverage.

In today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Guenther joins us to pull back the curtain on how Local 3000 became a regional powerhouse. From her roots as the daughter of a seasonal worker to leading one of the most influential locals in the Pacific Northwest, Faye shares the hard-won lessons of organizing in the modern era.

We dive deep into:

• The Power of the Purse: How a $33 million strike fund changes the math at the bargaining table and prevents workers from being "starved out."

• The "First Contract" Reality Check: Why winning an election is only the beginning, and why preparing for a strike starts on day one.

• Antitrust Muscle: The inside story of how the union helped block a massive grocery merger to protect communities and jobs.

• Building Density: Why organizing the "grocery footprint" of retail and tech giants is the next major frontier for labor.

Faye’s message is clear: Law follows power, not the other way around. Tune in to hear how UFCW 3000 is rebuilding that power from the shop floor up.