Union-made for Dad's day!

Celebrating Father's Day with the Teamster husband, dad or grandfather in your life? Well, between planning the menu and deciding on a gift to purchase, there are plenty of union-made selections from which to choose. A tip of the hat to our friends at Labor 411 for highlighting many of them.

First, we all know how important beverage selection can be. You can't go wrong with Budweiser or Pepsi, both Teamster-made. But Jim Beam and Knob Creek whiskey as well as Miller and Stella Artois beer are also good choices.

Now the eats. Tyson foods, Banquet fried chicken, Butterball, Boar's Head deli meats, Hormel, Hebrew National, Ballpark and Sarah Lee are just a sampling of union-made meal-worthy items to serve. Need some snacks? Frito Lay and Nabisco products should do the trick.

It's not all about the party however. Presents are a good thing as well. Want clothes that display Teamster pride? Go to www.teamsterwear.com to check out all the offerings there.

Here's to the old man. 

Looking for something else? There are many union-made companies making appropriate items for dad. Hugo Boss and Joseph Abboud both make the cut when it comes to men's apparel, as do the Union Boot Pro, Red Wing and Naturalizer shoes.

Want to help him smell great? Buy something from Old Spice or Pierre Cardin cologne. Need tools? Klein tools are the way to go. Want a time piece? Timex watches. Looking for athletic equipment? Louisville Slugger products and Spalding basketballs will keep him active.

Finally, if you are looking to spend some quality time with the old man, nothing beats a Major League Baseball game. Union players, after all.

Have a great day Teamster dads!

Shop union, buy Boar's Head meats, don't buy Carhartt

Lisa Stemcosky, union member at Bloomie's

Our brothers and sisters at UFCW Local 400 in Landover, Md., offer some good advice about shopping union, especially in the Capital Region.

Local 400 members work at Tyson's Chicken and Boar's Head meat facilities, and deliver them through Peapod.  Kroger, Giant and Safeway are all union stores.

Allclad cookware and votive candle holders are made by union workers in Pennsylvania; they're a favorite gift item for Lisa Stemcosky, a local 400 member who works at Bloomingdale’s in Chevy Chase, Md.

Department stores that employ union members include some Macy's, Syms, Brooks Brothers, Filene's Basement and Bloomingdale's.

Click here for more recommendations. And click here to find out why you shouldn't buy Carhartt products (hint -- they're made in Mexico).