UFCW Local 135

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UFCW Local 135 UFCW Local 135 represents essential workers in San Diego and Imperial Counties. Mr. Meyers started an organizing campaign for grocery clerks.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 135, has a long history dating back to the early 1900’s. In 1903 the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Local 229 of the Western Federation of Butchers, also known as the Butchers Union and Meat Cutters Union, became affiliated with the San Diego Federated Trades and Labor Council in 1903. In 1917 the Retail Clerks organized and affiliated with San Diego Federated Trades and Labor Council. Meat Cutters Local 229, under the leadership of Secretary and Business Manager Max Osslo, became one of the most respected and powerful unions in the United States. Osslo served for 46 years, beginning in 1936, as head of the Meat Cutters in San Diego and was key to creating apprenticeship programs for meat cutters, slaughterhouse workers, and others in the industry to help them become journeymen. He served on many boards and commissions during his tenure at Local 229, including on the national board of the Leukemia Society, whom UFCW Local 135 still has a relationship with to this day. The contemporary era of the Retail Clerks Union started in 1943 with International representative Samuel Meyers. In 1944, Retail Clerks Local 1222 received their charter from the Retail Clerks International Association. The United Food and Commercial Workers union was founded in 1978 when the Retail Clerks International Association merged with the Amalgamated Meat Cutters. Also joining were the Barbers and Beauticians Union. In January of 1986 the membership of the Retail Clerks of Local 1222 and those of the Meat Cutters at Local 229 merged to form one of the biggest unions in San Diego County, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 135. Today, under the leadership of President Todd Walters, Secretary-Treasurer Grant Tom, and Recorder Maribel Mckinze, UFCW Local 135 has a membership of approximately 12,500 workers with nearly 7000 retirees. The current membership of Local 135 consists of workers in various fields including grocery & retail, health, pharmacy & dental, meat & sugar processing, casino, and cannabis.

As we celebrate 40 years of UFCW Local 135, we recognize the leaders who helped build the foundation of the union we kno...
10/09/2026

As we celebrate 40 years of UFCW Local 135, we recognize the leaders who helped build the foundation of the union we know today. One of them was Marvin W. Brown, who led Retail Clerks Local 1222 for 25 years.

During his tenure, Brown helped build the organization, staff, and administrative structure that supported a growing membership of grocery and retail workers. His years of leadership helped establish Local 1222 as a lasting institution, serving generations of workers and protecting the gains they fought to achieve.

Brown retired on December 31, 1972, leaving behind an organization shaped by decades of work and dedication. His chapter in our history is an important part of the story that eventually brought Retail Clerks Local 1222 and Meat Cutters Local 229 together to form UFCW Local 135 in 1986.

40 years strong. Built by generations.

Forward Together, Stronger Than Ever!

UFCW Local 135's UNION 101What Does It Mean to Be Union?Being union means you're not standing alone.It means workers hav...
10/09/2026

UFCW Local 135's UNION 101

What Does It Mean to Be Union?

Being union means you're not standing alone.

It means workers have joined together to negotiate as a group, establish workplace standards, and protect their rights.

It also means recognizing that our strength comes from one another. When members participate, support their coworkers, and stand together, we build a stronger union for everyone.

Being union isn't just about what you get. It's about what we can accomplish together.

Introducing UFCW Local 135's Union 101! This new social media series breaks down the terms, rights, and principles every...
10/08/2026

Introducing UFCW Local 135's Union 101! This new social media series breaks down the terms, rights, and principles every union member should know to better understand their union and the power we have when we stand together.

Let's start with the basics:

WHAT IS A UNION?

A union is a group of workers who join together to build a stronger voice on the job. By standing together, workers can negotiate for better wages, benefits, working conditions, and workplace protections.

One worker has a voice. A union brings workers together to make that voice stronger.

That's the power of being union.

As we celebrate 40 years since the merger that created UFCW Local 135, we’re looking back at the leaders who built the u...
10/08/2026

As we celebrate 40 years since the merger that created UFCW Local 135, we’re looking back at the leaders who built the unions that came before us. Joseph B. “JB” McFaden Jr. was one of those leaders working as an agent of Amalgamated Meat Cutters Local 229.

Serving as Vice President of Local 229, JB worked side by side with Secretary and Business Manager Max J. Osslo during the years when the local was becoming one of the strongest unions in San Diego. Osslo was the public face and visionary builder of the organization, but building a union that represented hundreds of meat cutters required a strong leadership team behind him. McFaden was one of those people.

His work was rooted in the day-to-day business of protecting members. He helped administer the local, worked with members and representatives, enforced the union’s contracts and helped make sure that employers understood that the agreement on paper had to mean something on the shop floor.

That mattered in the meat departments, packing plants and other workplaces where Local 229 members worked some of the hardest jobs in the grocery industry. The union fought to establish decent wages, hours, benefits and working conditions, but winning those protections was only the beginning. They had to be defended every day. McFaden was part of the leadership responsible for doing that.

JB McFaden’s legacy is a reminder that strong unions are built by more than the names that make the history books. They are built by the leaders who organize the work, stand with members, enforce the contract and make sure the union is there when workers need it.

That legacy is part of UFCW Local 135 today.

40 years strong. Built by generations.

Forward Together, Stronger Than Ever!

Alberto at Food4Less #780 in Chula Vista is feeling the Friar Fever after last night’s do-or-die thriller at Petco Park...
10/07/2026

Alberto at Food4Less #780 in Chula Vista is feeling the Friar Fever after last night’s do-or-die thriller at Petco Park!

With their backs against the wall, the Padres eked out a 5-4 victory over the Brewers to keep their season alive. A gutsy performance by Michael King in relief helped secure the Friars’ first win of the NLDS.

The Padres are still down 2-1 in the series and they’re back at Petco Park for Game 4 with the hometown San Diego crowd fully behind them ready to rock the Gaslamp.

¡LFGSD!

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the merger that created UFCW Local 135, we’re taking a look back at one of the m...
10/07/2026

As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of the merger that created UFCW Local 135, we’re taking a look back at one of the most important places in our union’s history: our longtime home at 2001 Camino Del Rio South in Mission Valley.

By the early 1960s, both Amalgamated Meat Cutters Local 229 and Retail Clerks Local 1222 were growing rapidly across San Diego County. Local 229 had outgrown its downtown quarters on 6th Avenue, and under the leadership of Max J. Osslo, members stepped up and voted to fund a brand-new facility through dedicated building assessments from their weekly paychecks.

Completed in 1962, the custom mid-century modern building was built by the Meat Cutters as a premier home for their growing union. It even featured something truly unique: a massive indoor swimming pool. The pool was Osslo’s personal vision, reflecting his belief that a union should care about the whole worker and give members and their families a place to relax, connect and build community.

While the Meat Cutters established themselves in Mission Valley, Retail Clerks Local 1222 continued to operate independently from its longtime neighborhood headquarters at 4284 Central Avenue in City Heights. Led by leaders like Marvin Brown, Local 1222 was organizing and representing thousands of grocery clerks across the county.

Following decades of independent operation, the two organizations prepared to unite, but the Mission Valley building needed significant work to handle the transition. To physically expand the office space and modernize the facility for a massive influx of combined staff and membership, the union hall underwent an extensive remodel. While the Mission Valley headquarters was transformed into an active construction zone, Local 229 temporarily moved its operations out of the building and set up alongside Local 1222 at the Central Avenue office in City Heights to keep serving members without interruption.

In January 1986, the two locals officially came together to form UFCW Local 135. Once the extensive renovations were complete, the newly expanded Mission Valley building reopened as the union’s unified headquarters, remaining at the center of Local 135’s work for the next four decades.

Over the years, 2001 Camino Del Rio South became a familiar San Diego landmark and a gathering place for generations of members. In 1998, local artists Jeanne and John Whelan created “Providing the Feast,” a multi-panel mural on the front of the building featuring Osslo cutting meat alongside a diverse representation of union members at work. The mural remained on the building for 15 years before being unceremoniously removed and thrown in a dumpster in late 2013.

We closed the doors to the Mission Valley office in December 2025, but the legacy built there by generations of members continues to shape our union today. Our address has changed, but the foundation remains.

40 years strong. Built by generations. And ready for what’s next.

Forward Together, Stronger Than Ever!

FAITH IN THE FRIARS STILL GOING STRONG!The Padres have their backs against the wall, down 0-2 to the Brewers in the NLDS...
10/06/2026

FAITH IN THE FRIARS STILL GOING STRONG!

The Padres have their backs against the wall, down 0-2 to the Brewers in the NLDS after Milwaukee took both games at home over the weekend.

But Stewards Eve and Rob at Gelson’s in Del Mar aren’t giving up on the Friars! They’ve got faith that the Padres can come through tonight at Petco Park, get the win and keep San Diego’s playoff hopes alive.

It’s do-or-die baseball in Downtown. ¡LFGSD!

As we celebrate 40 years since the merger that formed of UFCW Local 135, we’re going all the way back to the beginning.O...
10/05/2026

As we celebrate 40 years since the merger that formed of UFCW Local 135, we’re going all the way back to the beginning.

Our story takes us to 743 4th Avenue, where San Diego’s early labor movement began putting down roots more than a century ago. Built in 1907, the original Labor Temple on 4th Avenue became an important gathering place for San Diego’s working people. It gave unions and workers a place to organize, meet and build the solidarity that would help shape the city’s labor movement for generations to come.

The Meat Cutters were among the unions that worked out of the first Labor Temple. As their membership and the broader labor movement grew, they eventually moved with other unions to a larger Labor Temple at 621 6th Avenue, which became the epicenter of San Diego union activity.

It was during this era that Max J. Osslo emerged as one of the city’s leading labor figures. In 1936, Osslo became Secretary and Business Manager of Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America, Local 229, beginning 46 years of leadership that would leave a lasting mark on San Diego’s labor movement.

As San Diego continued to grow, so did its unions. Under Osslo, the Meat Cutters outgrew the Labor Temple and in 1939 moved into Butchers' Union Hall at 639 6th Avenue. In 1962, the Meat Cutters moved to a new custom-built facility in Mission Valley on Camino Del Rio South.

Today, 40 years later, our union has a new permanent home in Scripps Ranch. But our story still begins on 4th Avenue, with working people who understood that they could accomplish more together than they ever could alone.

From 4th Avenue to 6th Avenue, from Mission Valley to Scripps Ranch, our addresses may have changed but our commitment to working people has not.

40 years strong. Built by generations. And we're ready for what’s next.

Forward Together, Stronger Than Ever!

🚨 Retirement Alert 🚨After 38 years of union service, Debbie Miller has retired from Vons #2826 in Chula Vista.Debbie fi...
10/02/2026

🚨 Retirement Alert 🚨

After 38 years of union service, Debbie Miller has retired from Vons #2826 in Chula Vista.

Debbie finished her career as a Supervisor, bringing nearly four decades of experience and service to her community.

Thank you, Debbie, for 38 years of dedicated union service. We wish you all the best in retirement!

FRIAR FEVER HAS HIT KP BONITA!Our members in the Kaiser Permanente Bonita Pharmacy are getting hyped for Saturday’s NLDS...
10/02/2026

FRIAR FEVER HAS HIT KP BONITA!

Our members in the Kaiser Permanente Bonita Pharmacy are getting hyped for Saturday’s NLDS showdown in Milwaukee!

The Friars are heading to the Cheese State to take on the Brew Crew and possible Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski for game 1.

These pharmacy professionals are rocking their Padres gear and are looking forward to cheering San Diego on to victory.

Watch out Wisconsin, Friar Fever is coming in hot!

Address

10075 Carroll Canyon Road
San Diego, CA
92131

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16192987772

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