UFCW union lobbied on workers' rights

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.forbes.com/markets/feeds/afx/2008/02/15/afx4662903.html

02.15.08, 5:34 PM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents supermarket, processing plant, retail store and other employees, spent $600,000 in 2007 to lobby the federal government.

The union lobbied on legislation dealing with agricultural jobs, immigration reform, the minimum wage and workers' rights, and for closing a loophole that allows nonfinancial companies to open banks, according to a disclosure form posted online Wednesday by the Senate's public records office. The union spent $300,000 to lobby on those issues and more in the second half of 2007.

The 1.3-million member UFCW on Thursday endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for president. About 40 percent of its members are under 30 years old.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.

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