When Silverdale Safeway Produce Clerk Tiiu Napp learned that she will become a US citizen in July, she broke down in tears. “I had no idea I would react like I did, but I cried I was so happy,” she said. “This is my home and I wanted to be a part of it.”
Tiiu’s parents fled Estonia during World War II and settled in Canada, where she grew up until she immigrated to the US. After becoming a permanent resident, she landed a job as a mail carrier on a rural route for the United States Postal Service (USPS). When she retired from USPS, she got the job at Safeway and became a UFCW 3000 member.
Though she has wanted to become a citizen since she arrived, high costs and a complicated process presented major hurdles. But when she got more involved in our union during the 2025 grocery bargain, she discovered a union benefit that helped her clear those hurdles at last.
During the grocery campaign, she asked UFCW 3000 staff about Union Citizenship Action Network (UCAN), an initiative that our UFCW International runs in partnership with our local and others. The longstanding program provides legal counsel and paperwork assistance to help members complete the citizenship application in short order.
For Napp, the process felt straightforward. After learning more about the program, she signed up for a UCAN workshop, where she met with her Union Representative and another staff member. She said the staff helped explain the forms to her and clarified any questions she had. After wrapping up the paperwork, she attended an in-person interview. Once she cleared the background check, she received her date to take her oath of citizenship at the Department of Homeland Security’s offices in Tukwila.
When she got that notice, she said she felt overjoyed, relieved, and grateful for the help. “Had I done this by myself, it would have cost me a lot more money and caused a lot more stress. Our union made such a huge difference in helping me get this done,” she said.
“I am honored to be a part of this union,” she added. “There is such a huge power when workers come together collectively.”
Want Help Becoming a Citizen?
If you are interested and would like to schedule an appointment or have any questions, please contact your Union Representative.
TO MAY BE ELIGIBLE IF:
You have been a Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) for five years, or three years if married to a US citizen;
You have no open, unresolved criminal court matters;
You speak, write, and read basic English
English exceptions made for 50 to 54-year-olds who have been LPRs for at least 20 years; or 55-year-olds and up who have been LPRs for at least 15 years; or those with disabilities.
Upcoming UCAN Workshops:
Saturday, July 11 in Mt Vernon, WA
- By Appointment Only -
UFCW 3000 Mt Vernon Office 1510 N 18th St, Mt Vernon, WA 98273
Saturday, July 18 in Yakima, WA
- By Appointment Only -
UFCW 3000 Yakima Office: 507 S 3rd St. Yakima, WA 98901
Silverdale超市農產部員工終於Tiiu Napp終於感到在家
當Silverdale Safeway超市農產品員工Tiiu Napp知道自己將在七月成為美國公民時，她淚眼盈。「我想不到這樣的反應，但我哭因為我快樂，」她說。「這裡是我的家，而我希望成為它的一部份。」
Tiiu的父母在第二次世界大戰時從愛沙尼亞逃亡至加拿大，她在那裡長大，直至她移民到美國。在成為永久居民之後，她在郵局找到一份鄉間郵差的工作。在郵局退休後，她在Safeway找到一份工作，成為UFCW 3000工會會員。
雖然她自來美以後一直想成為公民，高昂的費用和複雜的程序使她感到障礙重重。但當在2025年食物減價期內她更為積極參加工會事務時，她發現一頁工會福利，最後期助她克服障礙。
在該次食品減價活動中，她問工會職員關於工會公民行動網絡（UCAN）事宜，這是UFWW國際工會和我們工會及其他組織的一個合作行動。該長期計劃為會員提供法律諮詢和文件工作，幫助他們迅速的完成入簡申請〔RS1.1〕。
對Napp來說，感到過程順利。在知道更多有關計劃之後，她登記參加一個UCAN的講習會，在那裡她和她的工會代表及另一名職員會面。她說職員幫助她，說明表格內容，解答她的問題。在完成文件工作之後，她參加現場面試。經過背景檢查，她收到宣誓日期的通知，地點在Tukwila國土安全部辦公室。
收到通知時，她說她很是歡喜，如釋重負，和感謝人們的幫忙。「如我自己來做，會花更多錢和感到更多壓力。我們的工會做出重大的不同，幫助我完成過程，」她說。
「我感到榮幸身為此工會的一員，」她又說。「當員工集體團結一起時，那是多大的力量。」
想成為公民嗎？
如你有興趣和想約見或有任何問題，請聯絡你的工會代表。
你可能符合資格：
• 你是合法永久居民已有多年，或你和一名美國公民結婚已有三年；
• 你並無任何未解決的刑事法庭案件；
• 你能講，寫和讀基本英語；
• 已有至少20年身為永久居民的50-54歲移民；或55歲以上身為永久居民至少有15年；或屬傷殘人士
未來 UCAN 講習會
7月11日星期六，在華盛頓州Mt Vernon市
－必須預約－
UFCW 3000 Mt Vernon辦事處： 1510 N 18th St, Mt Vernon, WA 98273
7月18日，在華州Yakima市
－必須預約－
UFCW 3000 Yakima辦事處：
Taga-Silverdale na Produce Clerk na si Tiiu Napp ay sa Wakas na Pakiramdam ang Pagiging Kabilang
Noong nalaman ng taga-Silverdale na Safeway Produce Clerk na si Tiiu Napp na siya’y maging isang opisyal na mamamayan o citizen ng US noong July, napaiyak siya. “Hindi ko alam na ganun ako magrere-aksyon, pero napaiyak ako sa kasiyahan, “ ani niya. “Tahanan ko ito at gusto kong maging kabilang dito.”
Tumakas mula sa Estonia ang mga magulang ni Tiiu noong Pangalawang Pandaigdig na Digmaan o World War II at nanirahan sa Canada, kung saan siya lumaki hanggang lumipat siya sa US. Matapos maging isang permanenteng residente, nakakuha siya ng trabaho bilang isang kartero sa isang pambukid na rota para sa United States Postal Service (USPS). Noong nag-retiro siya sa USPS, nakakuha siya ng trabaho sa Safeway at naging isang miyembro ng UFCW 3000.
Bagamat gusto niyang maging isang citizen mula pa sa kanyang pagdating, ang mga mamahaling gastos at komplikadong proseso ay nagdulot ng malaking mga hadlang. Ngunit noong naging mas nakatuon siya sa ating unyon noong pakikipagnegosasyon sa 2025 ng grocery, nadiskubre ang isang benepisyo sa unyon na nakatulong upang mabilis na malupig ang mga hadlang na ito.
Sa kasalukuyan ng kampanya para sa grocery, tinanong niya ang staff ng UFCW 3000 tungkol sa Union Citizenship Action Network (UCAN), isang inisyatibo na pinapatakbo ng ating UFCW International kasosyo ang ating lokal at iba pa. Ang mahabang panahon nang programang ito ay nagibibigay ng legal na payo at tulong sa mga papeles upang tulungan ang mga miyembrong makumpleto ang aplikasyon sa pagiging citizen sa madaling panahon.
Para kay Napp, dere-deretso lang ang proseso. Matapos alamin ang programa, nag-sign-up siya para sa isang UCAN workshop, kung saan nakipagpulong siya sa kanyang Representatibo ng Unyon at isa pang miyembro ng staff. Sabi niya ay tumulong ang staff na ipaliwanag ang mga form at nilinaw ang iba pang mga tanong niya. Matapos ang pagkumpleto ng mga papeles, dumalo siya sa isang panayam nang personal. Pagkatapos siyang pumasa sa background check, natanggap niya ang petsa kung kailan niya maaaring makuha ang kanyang panunumpa bilang isang citizen sa opisina ng Department of Homeland Security sa Tukwila.
Noong makuha niya ang paunawa, sabi niya’y sobrang saya niya, magaan ang loob, at nagpapasalamat sa tulong. “Kung ginawa ko lang ito ng sarili ko, sobrang laki ang magagastos ko at ang stress. Malaking bagay ang nagawa ng unyon upang tulungan akong kumpletuhin ito,” ani niya.
“Karangalan kong maging isang parte ng unyong ito,” dagdag niya. “ Mayroong malaking kapangyarihan kapag nagkakaisang nagtutulungan ang mga manggagawa.”
Gusto ba Ninyo ng Tulong Upang Maging Isang Citizen?
Kung interesado kayo at nais ninyong mag-iskedyul ng isang appointment o mayroon kayong anumang tanong, pakikausap sa inyong Representatibo ng Unyon.
MAAARI KAYONG KWALIPIKADO KUNG:
Mga Darating na mga UCAN Workshop
Sabado, ika-11 ng Hulyo sa Mt Vernon, WA
UFCW 3000 Mt Vernon Office 1510 N 18th St, Mt Vernon, WA 98273 [Text Wrapping Break]
Sabado, ika-18 ng Hulyo sa Yakima, WA
UFCW 3000 Yakima Office: 507 S 3rd St. Yakima, WA 98901
