You gotta hand it to United Food and Commercial Workers union officials — they can keep a straight face while lobbying for some laughable causes. The most recent is a campaign to increase the value of food stamps given to the poor. Talk about shedding crocodile tears for the very people UFCW’s actions hurt most.

At least the UFCW acknowledges its reasons are self-interested:

Many stores depend on food stamps for revenue, which helps to employ UFCW members all over the nation. In addition, food stamps are used to purchase UFCW processed products.

But here’s the thing: UFCW’s contract demands have played a significant role in raising the costs of food at unionized stores and putting unionized grocers at a competitive disadvantage against non-union companies (think: great prices at Wal-Mart). Now they want the government to help funnel more money to stores with higher prices. UFCW could do a lot more for the poor by making more reasonable contract demands and allowing grocery stores across the nation to pass on the savings to all Americans, including the poor.