Jeffrey Gambrel: A Union Member's Story

Most of the work a union does never makes a headline.

It happens in phone calls late in the evening.
In careful review of contract language.
In strategy conversations, updates, and hard negotiations that take place far from the shop floor.

For one UFCW Local 227 member, that behind-the-scenes work made all the difference.

After more than six years with his employer and a solid work record, Jeffrey Gambrel was suddenly suspended and then terminated. The decision came as a shock. Beyond the emotional toll, it created immediate fear and uncertainty — the kind that hits hard when you’re responsible for providing for your family.

Like many members would, Jeffrey reached out to his union.

From the very beginning, Union Representative Brian Capron stepped in. Together, they reviewed the situation and filed a grievance based on multiple contract issues. From that point forward, Brian stayed in close contact — explaining each step, sharing updates, answering questions, and making sure Jeffrey never felt left in the dark.

That communication mattered.

As Jeffrey later shared, the uncertainty of not knowing how you’ll support your family is a heavy weight to carry. Knowing his union was actively fighting for him helped make an incredibly stressful time more bearable.

Behind the scenes, the union was doing what unions do best: enforcing the contract, building a case, and preparing to take the fight as far as it needed to go — even to arbitration if necessary. That preparation alone takes time, experience, and persistence.

Because of that work, the union was able to negotiate a path forward that avoided a long and stressful arbitration process and resulted in Jeffrey being reinstated to his job — in the field he had invested years of his life into.

That outcome didn’t happen by accident. It happened because the union was ready, willing, and prepared to stand firm.

For Jeffrey and his family, the result was more than just getting a job back. It was relief. Stability. Dignity restored.

And for his coworkers, it was a reminder of something bigger: strong union representation matters. Contracts matter. Standing together matters.

“I’m not sure what the final outcome would have been without the union,” Jeffrey said. “This experience reinforced for me that strong union representation is necessary to make sure we’re treated fairly and our rights are respected.”

This is the work you don’t always see — but it’s the work that defines a union.

Showing up when things go wrong.
Standing shoulder to shoulder with members.
Making sure no one has to face the company alone.

That’s UFCW Local 227.
And that’s the power of solidarity.