United Food and Commercial Workers To Hold Gov. Corbett Accountable

PLYMOUTH MEETING, Pa., Jan. 30, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wendell W. Young IV, President UFCW Local 1776, today challenged Gov. Corbett to a series of town hall meetings to ensure that Pennsylvanians have the opportunity to ask direct questions regarding his reckless scheme to sell the PA Wine & Spirits stores and put 5,000 Pennsylvanians on the unemployment line.

"Fresh off a midnight raid of our state lottery, the governor is targeting 5,000 family-sustaining jobs and more than $500 million a year in taxes and profits that this valuable, publicly held asset provides," said Young, who also serves as President of the UFCW of PA Wine and Spirits Council.

"We're confident that once Pennsylvanians learn what this scheme would do to our state that they'll overwhelmingly oppose this proposal. We welcome an open and honest public debate."

The UFCW represents approximately 3,500 employees who work in the wine and spirits shops. Overall, UFCW represents 50,000 Pennsylvanians in the public and private sectors.

"We look forward to working with the dozens and dozens of groups from around the entire state who understand how reckless this idea is," said Tony Helfer, President of UFCW Local 23. "We've already heard from community groups, faith groups, first responders and public health professionals who know that adding 20,000 retail alcohol outlets makes absolutely no sense."

Both Young and Helfer reiterated UFCW's longstanding commitment to modernizing the PLCB to improve convenience for customers and a greater return for taxpayers.

"We always have advocated ways to modernize the current system and continuously improve the experience for our customers. Our shops today compare favorably with any retail operation of any kind anywhere in the nation," Young said.

Added Helfer, "Now is the time to pass modernization proposals that would allow for more Sunday hours and direct shipment of wine to consumers' homes, among other improvements. The focus should be on providing the PLCB and our workers the tools they need to deliver the convenience Pennsylvanians want while protecting jobs and more than $500 million in revenue for the state."

For more information, please visit www.ufcwpawineandspiritscouncil.com.

SOURCE UFCW PA Wine and Spirits Council