United Food & Commercial Workers Union, Local 1564 of New Mexico v. Albertson's, Inc.

**Union Loses Fight Over Grocery Store Workers' Pay Dispute** The United Food & Commercial Workers Union sued Albertson's grocery stores, claiming the company wasn't paying workers properly under their union contract. The union argued that Albertson's was violating federal wage laws and wanted a court to declare that their collective bargaining agreement required higher pay than what workers were receiving. The Court of Appeals ruled against the union, but not because Albertson's was right about the wages. Instead, the court said federal courts don't have the power to hear this type of case when a union tries to represent its members under federal wage laws. The court explained that unions cannot sue on behalf of their members for wage violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act - individual workers would need to file their own lawsuits instead. **What this means for workers:** If you believe your employer is violating federal wage laws, your union may not be able to fight that battle for you in federal court. You might need to file an individual lawsuit or complaint with the Department of Labor to address wage theft issues, even if you're covered by a union contract.