UFCW Local 1776 Urges Turzai To Follow The Law Of Act 39

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., April 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- UFCW Local 1776 President Wendell W. Young IV urged House Speaker Mike Turzai to follow the law of the land - and to honor his own vote – by appointing members to the Wine and Spirits Wholesale and Retail Privatization Commission as mandated by Act 39 of 2016.

The Speaker is rushing through a series of reckless privatization bills, despite the fact that Act 39, which expanded the retail sale of wine, includes the provision that requires a commission be formed to evaluate further options on how to move forward with Pennsylvania's wine and spirits system.

"The Senate President Pro Tempore has named Senators Joseph Scarnati and Gene Yaw to serve as members of the Wine and Spirits Wholesale and Retail Privatization Commission and we anticipate that the Senate will follow the law and name additional members," Young said. "It's the height of arrogance that the Speaker thinks that he can ignore the will of the House and the Senate and what is state law in his push to put 5,000 Pennsylvanians out of work."

Young noted that the House is scheduled to consider four separate bills today that further outsource or entirely eliminate the PLCB. These bills are being rushed through the process; there are 80 members of the General Assembly who have taken office since the last public hearing on liquor privatization. Additionally, there have been no opportunities for the public to testify or to hear from independent witnesses about the devastating impacts these bills would have on the PLCB.

Independent studies have consistently found that privatization will result in a massive loss of jobs and increased risks to public health and safety.

"I am hoping that lawmakers will put families first – ahead of the corporate interests who are going to benefit from these proposals," Young said. "At the least, they owe it to their constituents to follow the law that they all voted for."

SOURCE UFCW Local 1776