Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
Volume 21 Number 3
May/ June 2019
Celebrating 100 Years of
American Milling
*See pages 8-9
the PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
A
ORGANIZING: The Lifeblood of Unionism
A recent Gallup poll showed that the popularity of unions among Americans stood at 62 percent—a 15-year high. Research shows that workers want unions. There is a huge gap between the share of workers with union representation (11.9 percent) and the share of workers that would like to have a union and a voice on the job (48 percent). The Wall Street Journal reported that 2018 was the biggest year for collective action in three decades. There were strikes and organizing wins from coast to coast. In addition, labor helped elect more than 960 union members to public office. It is clear that American workers are in motion. The key issue is, how do we, as a movement, convert this massive collective energy into life-changing collective bargaining work that will benefit all working people? ORGANIZING. Workers organizing is the lifeblood of unionism. In the 1930s, American workers were granted the right to freely join labor unions under the National Labor Relations Act (NRLA). The increase in unionization encouraged by the law significantly diminished income inequality over the next forty years and ushered in sweeping prosperity and created a resurgent middle class. American workers prospered as a result of having a voice in the workplace. Fast forward to 2019, and it is clear that the NLRA is no longer protecting workers who want to join a union. The current law does far too little to prevent employers from bullying and harassing workers when we try to form a union, and there is no binding process for reaching a first contract when a majority of workers make the decision to bargain collectively. The right of workers to make our voices heard through strikes, pickets and other activities continues to be fundamentally undermined by employers, politicians and the courts. Simply put, the system is broken, and the time for comprehensive labor law reform is right now. There are men and women working in bakeries, candy shops and mills who want to join the BCTGM to achieve dignity and justice at work. But, their employers do everything possible to stifle their fundamental rights. The solution, of course, is the same as it was in 1935. In order to restore balance and fairness to the workplace, Congress must restore workers’ power to organize. That’s why the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act (H.R.2474) is such an important piece of legislation. The PRO Act addresses several major problems and weaknesses with the current law and would give working people a fair shot when they try to join together with their coworkers to form a union and bargain for better wages, benefits, and conditions at their workplaces. Under the PRO Act, workers would have more freedom to organize without employer interference. The 2
PRO Act streamlines the NLRB election process so workers can petition to form a union and get a timely vote without their employer interfering and delaying the vote. It prohibits companies from forcing workers to attend mandatory anti-union meetings as a condition of continued employment. If the employer breaks the law or interferes with a fair election, the PRO Act empowers the NLRB to require the employer to bargain with the union if it had the support of a majority of workers prior to the election. And the PRO Act overrides —“right-to-work-forless” laws by establishing that employers and unions in all 50 states may agree upon a “fair share” clause requiring all workers who are covered by—and benefit from—the collective bargaining agreement to contribute a fair share fee towards the cost of bargaining and administering the agreement. And perhaps, most importantly, the bill proposes a process to ensure that workers who vote yes in a union organizing drive actually obtain a first collective bargaining agreement. As it stands now, more than half of all workers who vote to form a union don’t have a collective bargaining agreement a year later as the result of companies’ refusal to negotiate in good faith. The PRO Act does not fix all the problems with America’s labor law, but it would address some fundamental problems and help make it possible for more workers to act on their federally-protected right to join together with their coworkers to bargain with their employer for improvements at their workplace.
- David B. Durkee, BCTGM International President
BCTGM News
Official Publication of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, Maryland 20895-3961 (301) 933-8600 www.bctgm.org David B. Durkee, Editor Corrina A. Christensen, Assistant Editor BCTGM General Executive Board President David B. Durkee • Secretary-Treasurer Jethro Head Vice Presidents Shad Clark • Roger Miller Ron Piercey • Brad Schmidt • Anthony Shelton BCTGM General Executive Board Members Joyce Alston • John Bethel • Thomas Bingler • Richard Davis Pierre Luc Ducet • Paul LaBuda • Mary Trujillo Earl Lublow • Letitia Malone • Gary Oskoian • Paula Steig Doyle Townson • Jeff Webb • Donald Woods BCTGM News (ISSN 1525-4860) is published bi-monthly by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3961. Periodicals postage paid at Kensington, MD and at additional mailing offices. Subscription to new members only. Postmaster: Send address changes to BCTGM News, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3961.
BCTGM News
Protecting the Right to Organize Act
On May 8, AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka delivered the following statement before the House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions in support of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act:
On behalf of the 12.5 million members and 55 unions of the AFL-CIO, thank you for inviting me to testify today. The Wall Street Journal reported that 2018 was the biggest year for collective action in three decades. Teachers from West Virginia to Arizona. Google employees. Workers in every sector and every region are embracing the transformational power that comes from joining together in common cause. MIT found that half of non-union workers would vote to join a union today if given the chance. That’s more than 60 million Americans. So why haven’t we seen a rise in union membership commensurate with this surge in approval, recognition and desire? The answer is clear: Our woefully outdated labor laws no longer serve as an effective means for working people to have our voices heard. The stated purpose of the National Labor Relations Act is to encourage collective bargaining. Yet in the more than 80 years since its passage, every amendment to the law has made it harder for workers to form unions. Today, union-busting consultants are paid tens of millions of dollars to deny workers a voice on the job. And once a union election is won, these same bad actors do everything in their power to undermine the collective bargaining process. Workers are forced to sit in meetings where the only item on the agenda is bashing the union. Prounion workers are fired. Employers refuse to bargain in good faith. Some refuse to bargain at all. And far too often, the financial consequences for breaking federal law are virtually nonexistent. This must change. The Protecting the Right to May/June 2019
Organize Act will change it. Imagine if, when running for office, your opponent could force the electorate to listen to speeches urging them to vote against you. Imagine your opponent had the power to punish these voters if they supported you. Imagine that Congress refused to recognize your rightful election. And then imagine that once you were finally seated, you were denied the basic rights and responsibilities that come with the office. This is the grim reality for a huge number of workers seeking to form a union today. Misinformation. Reprisal. Delays. And even after all of those obstacles are overcome, an outright refusal to recognize the election results. I’ve included several such examples in my written testimony. That’s why half of non-union workers want to join a union today, yet less than 12% actually have one. Why does this matter? Simply put, workers in unions bargain for higher wages and are much more likely to have health care and a pension. The union advantage is even greater for people of color and those without a college degree. Unionized workers have a real say in critical workplace issues like time off to care for a loved one, the deployment of technology and protection from discrimination. A happier, healthier, more upwardly mobile workforce is good for our economy as consumers have additional money to spend. Local tax revenues increase, and education funding is bolstered. Inequality shrinks. It’s a virtuous cycle. The union movement and all working people are hungry for pro-worker reforms to our existing labor laws. The PRO Act would do many important things, chief among them provide more substantial relief for workers whose rights have been violated... ensure a process for reaching a first contract once a union is recognized...and create a true deterrent, so employers think twice before violating the law. Something is happening in America. Workers are embracing collective action with a fervor I haven’t seen in a generation. It is time for our laws to catch up. It is time to make the PRO Act the law of the land.
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Meet BCTGM International Secretary-Treasurer JETHRO HEAD On March 29, 2019, the BCTGM General Executive Board (GEB) unanimously elected Jethro Head as International Secretary-Treasurer, effective June 1, 2019. He was elected to succeed International Secretary-Treasurer Steve Bertelli, who retired June 1. Head has been a member of the union since 1974 when he began working at Curtiss Candy Company (Nestlé) in Franklin Park, Illinois and became a member of Local 552 (Chicago). He was a marshmallow cook and later worked as a plant cleaner on the Baby Ruth candy bar production line. Head also worked as a Baby Ruth fudge dumper and caramel nut enrober operator. In 1984, Head was elected the President and full–time Officer of Local 552. When Local 552 merged with Local 1 (Chicago) in 1999, Head was elected to serve as the full–time Officer and Vice President of the newly merged local. From 2000 to 2008, Head served as the President of Local 1. He also served as Vice President of the Illinois State AFL-CIO from 2000 to 2008. In 2008, Head was appointed as an International Representative of the Third Region, a position he held until 2012 when he was elected 4
by the GEB as the Third Region International Vice President. Head was elected to his first full term as International Vice President by the delegates to the 2014 BCTGM International Constitutional Convention, at which delegates also approved an Amendment to the Constitution renaming the Region the Midwest Region. He was reelected as Midwest Region International Vice President by the delegates to the 2018 Constitutional Convention. Head served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1974 to 1980. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Roosevelt University (1990) and a Master of Public Administration from Roosevelt University (1993).
BCTGM News
Q&A with International Secretary-Treasurer Jethro Head You have been instrumental in helping grow the BCTGM’s organizing efforts. Why is organizing necessary? JH: A sad fact is that if a plant opens, it is going
to close. It may be today, tomorrow or 50 or more years. And the simple answer is that we need to continue organizing. Never stop, never rest. Because if we are all organizing, we are bringing more power to the bargaining table, increasing our strength politically and strengthening our union. All of this serves to empower workers to make positive changes in their workplaces, their communities, as well as increase our power politically so we can pass laws that help working people.
How did you get into the labor movement?
Do you have a historical labor role model?
JH: This is a bit of a funny story. I was a
JH: All of my labor role models have come from
young man when I started at the Curtiss Candy plant in 1974 and early in my time there, the company attempted to fire me. But I knew my rights were protected by my union contract. So I pulled out that contract and showed my supervisor the language. He was surprised that a young worker like me was so educated on my rights. He told me to get back on the line and I could keep my job. That is when I realized that I wanted to be a shop steward. To help my coworkers understand their protections under the union contract.
within this union. I have learned from those who have come before me, taught me and brought me up as a leader. I have watched and learned through my years at the bargaining table, fights that have led us into the streets, and agreements that have returned us to work. For every lesson I’ve learned, I’ve learned it from someone in this union. Isn’t that what being a role model is all about?
What are some of your strategies for protecting workers’ interests at the bargaining table? JH: I have always deeply believed in
having workers involved. They have to take ownership of their union and raise their voices in the collective bargaining process. I can’t negotiate an agreement without the involvement of the workers I am representing at the bargaining table.
May/June 2019
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Multiemployer Pension Funding Bill Moves Forward in House Bipartisan multiemployer pension reform legislation that would create a federal loan program for struggling plans was approved on June 11 in a 26-18 vote by the House Education and Labor Committee. The bill now
moves to the House Ways and Means Committee for debate before moving to the full House for consideration. H.R. 397, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, was introduced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-Mass.) in January and has 168 co-sponsors, including eight Republicans. Neal said the committee will be voting on the bill soon, with a sense of urgency. “More than a million Americans are in multiemployer pension plans that are quickly running out of money, putting families across the country at risk of unexpected financial hardship. Congress has no choice but to address this crisis,” Congressman Neal said in a statement. Before the vote, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott, D-Va., said not addressing the pension crisis will cost taxpayers “hundreds of billions of dollars. In other words, doing nothing to address this crisis is the worst and most expensive option we have.” The Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act would establish the Pension Rehabilitation Administration, a new agency within the Department of the Treasury, authorized to issue bonds to finance loans to pension funds, such as the B&C Pension Fund, to ensure their long 6
Intl. Pres. Durk BCTGM Local for a photo.
term solvency. Such multiemployer plans would be channeled enough assets to fund pension obligations for all participants. No benefit cuts would be required to qualify for the loans. Loan applicants must prove that the loan will enable the plan to avoid insolvency and they will be reasonably able to pay benefits and repay the principal. Plans could not increase benefits or bargain for reduced contribution rates during the term of the loan. The BCTGM has been a leader in the effort to secure federal legislation to address the country’s pension funding crisis – which affects every BCTGM member with a collectively bargained pension. “It’s simply not right that – by no fault of their own – these workers and retirees could lose decades’ worth of savings they earned and chose to take instead of wage increases,” said Congressman Neal. “After lifetimes of financial responsibility, these Americans now face frightening, uncertain futures. Congress has no choice but to address this crisis, and that’s why I introduced the legislation that the Education and Labor Committee passed today. I’m grateful to Chairman Scott and all of the committee members who supported this urgent bill, and I look forward to marking up the legislation in the Ways and Means Committee soon,” concluded Congressman Neal. The fight is not over. It is critical for BCTGM members to continue to urge Congress to pass this vital legislation to save our pensions. If you’ve sent an email to your members of Congress already – thank you! Please continue to send urgent messages to Congress: bit.ly/saveourpension2019 BCTGM News
kee and Asst. to Intl. Pres. Harry Kaiser join the l 167G (Grand Forks, N.D.) convention delegates
President Durkee Addresses N.D. AFL-CIO 60th Convention BCTGM International President David Durkee was the keynote speaker and special guest of honor to the 60th Constitutional Convention of the North Dakota AFL-CIO in Grand Forks, N.D. June 6 and 7.
More than 100 union members from 25 affiliated unions gathered to democratically elect leaders, recognize volunteers, discuss regional issues impacting working families, and set the direction of the organization for the next year. The BCTGM was represented at the convention by 14 delegates from BCTGM Local 167 G (Grand Forks, N.D.). President Durkee was the guest of honor invited to help commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the signing of the legislation that led to the creation of the North Dakota Mill and Elevator, the only state-owned mill in the United States. The workers at the state mill are members of BCTGM Local 167G. The North Dakota Mill and Elevator Association was established with the passage of Senate Bill No. 20 on February 25, 1919, as a result of a long battle waged by farmers and progressives in an attempt to break the grain trade monopoly, have some control over pricing and grading of grain and for the purpose of
BCTGM Intl. Pres. Durkee addresses the 60th Convention of the North Dakota AFL-CIO. May/June 2019
encouraging and promoting agriculture, commerce and industry. The Commission began the experiment of a state-owned mill in 1919 with the purchase of a small flour mill in Drake, N.D., with a capacity of 125 barrels per day. In 1922, the State Mill and Elevator were built in Grand Forks on land donated by the city. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signed a proclamation designating June 6, 2019 as “North Dakota Mill and Elevator Day” in the state of North Dakota. District 42 Representative Corey Mock read the proclamation upon opening the convention. Additionally, Grand Forks City Council passed a resolution also designating the day as “North Dakota Mill and Elevator Day” in the City of Grand Forks. Grand Forks Mayor Michael Brown presented a resolution to the convention in addition to presenting President Durkee with a “key to the city”. “It is truly an honor for me to be a part of the 60th Constitutional Convention of the North Dakota AFLCIO and to join in the celebration of North Dakota Mill and Elevator Day on June 6,” President Durkee said. “As International Union President, I am extremely proud of our Brothers and Sisters of BCTGM Local 167G, past and present, who for many decades have been the foundation for the enormous success of the North Dakota Mill and Elevator,” President Durkee proclaimed.
Grand Forks, N.D. Mayor Michael Brown presents Pres. Durkee with the city council resolution proclaiming June 6 as “North Dakota Mill and Elevator Day” and a“key to the city”. www.bctgm.org
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North Dakota Mill and Elevato On June 6, the hardworking members of BCTGM Local 167G (Grand Forks, N.D.) at North Dakota State Mill and Elevator celebrated the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the North Dakota State Mill and Elevator by the North Dakota state Legislature. The centennial was marked by a proclamation signed by North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum signifying June 6, 2019 as North Dakota State Mill and Elevator Day. The city of Grand Forks, home of the mill, also adopted a measure dedicating June 6 as the North Dakota Mill and Elevator day to
congratulate the mill and its workers for their 100 years of service. Local 167G has represented the dedicated men and women at the Grand Forks mill since 1948. The North Dakota Mill and Elevator Association began as an idea before North Dakota statehood as a reaction against exorbitant prices charged by out-of-state middlemen. The belief that the railroads and grain brokers profited unjustly at the expense of the families who actually produced the grain fueled this desire for new measurers. The North Dakota State Mill and Elevator Association was established on February 25, 1919 with the passage of a bill passed by the state Senate that
Pictured outside the mill Riskey, Asst. to the Intl. Stew./Rec. Secy. (Grain Durkee and Kevin Jerik,
Intl. Pres. David Durkee greets Ryan Miller (Miller) and Greg Kesar (Assistant Miller) outside the milling station.
The packages of all flour produced at North Dakota Mill carries the BCTGM Union Label. 8
Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres.) and Jason Payne, L. 167G Unit 135 Head Steward/ Recording Secretary (Grain Cleaner) show Intl. Pres. Durkee the various grades of flour produced at the Mill.
Leona Gerszewski (Head Packer) (left) and Kevin Jerik L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres. (Mechanic 1) greet Intl. Pres. Durkee at the sacking station.
Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former 135 Vice Pres.) and Jason Payne (L 1 Head Steward/Recording Secretary, explain flour screens to Asst. to the I Kaiser and Intl. Pres. David Durkee. BCTGM News
or Marks 100 Years of Success was driven by farmers and progressives who desired some control over pricing and grading of grain and to encourage agriculture, commerce and industry. On October 21, 1919, it was announced that the State Mill and Elevator would be built in Grand Forks on land donated by the city. On October 30, 1922, the first electronic mills of the State Mill and Elevator began operating. The State Mill and Elevator began with a daily production of 3,000 barrels per day in 1922 and grew into the largest flour mill in the United States and the only state-owned mill and elevator in the country. Today, workers at the mill grind 33 million bushels of top-quality spring wheat and durum per year and the
mill has the capacity to store 5 million bushels of grain. On June 7 following his address to the North Dakota AFL-CIO Convention, BCTGM International President David Durkee and Assistant to the International President Harry Kaiser toured the North Dakota State Mill and Elevator and met the proud Local 167G members. “I congratulate the members of Local 167G on the Proclamations from the North Dakota State Legislature and Governor Burgum, as well as the City of Grand Forks and Mayor Brown. It is a great honor for me to be present when these union workers are recognized as being part of the success of this historic Mill and Elevator,� concludes Durkee.
l (left to right) are L. 167G Pres. John G. Pres. Harry Kaiser, L. 167G Unit 135 Head Cleaner) Jason Payne, Intl. Pres. David , L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres. (Mechanic 1).
Pres. Durkee greets L. 167G mechanics as they move to the next job. Pictured (left to right) are Asst. to the Intl. Pres. Harry Kaiser, Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres.), Intl. Pres. David Durkee, Danny Visness (Mechanic 1), Mitchell Bjornson (Mechanic 1), and Kevin Jerik L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres. (Mechanic 1).
r L. 167G Unit 167G Unit 135 Grain Cleaner) Intl. Pres. Harry
May/June 2019
Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former L.167G Unit 135 Vice Pres.) explains differences in flour coarseness to Asst. to the Intl. Pres. Harry Kaiser and Intl. Pres. David Durkee.
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Pres. Durkee toured the facility and met the hardworking members of L. 167G. Pictured here (left to right) are Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres.); Ryan Miller (Miller); Intl. Pres. Durkee; Jason Payne, L. 167G Unit 135 Head Stew./ Rec. Secy. (Grain Cleaner); Greg Kesar (Assistant Miller); Asst. to the Intl. Pres. Harry Kaiser; and Kevin Jerik, L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres. (Mechanic 1).
Kiel Rasmunson (Supervisor, former L. 167G Unit 135 Vice Pres.) (left), Jason Payne, L. 167G Unit 135 Head Stew./Rec. Secy. (Grain Cleaner) (third from left) and Ryan Miller (Miller) (right) explain the flour sample station. 9
BCTGM Calls on Mond
F
or the fourth year in a row, BCTGM union members and supporters from around the country descended on Lincolnshire, Ill. for the 2019 Nabisco/Mondelēz shareholder meeting. Despite the rejection by last year’s shareholders for the proposed CEO pay package, Dirk Van De Put’s pay grew to be 489 times
larger than the median employee pay - which decreased 28% in the same time period. Meanwhile, under this business model, Nabisco workers in Mexico have earned as little as 97 cents per hour, while their CEO took home $42 million for his first 41 days of employment and the corporation profited billions.
BCTGM International President Durkee addressed the crowd saying, “What I’m holding here is a protection contract between Mondelēz and a phony union in Mexico that includes wages as low as 97 cents-per-hour for workers in the Salinas, Mexico plant. We will do everything it takes to stop this company
A large group of BCTGM members and supporters from across the country descended on the Lincolnshire, Ill. Nabisco/Mondelez shareholder meeting.
L. 1 retiree Hilda Mayes
L. 1 member and Nabisco worker Anthony Jackson (left) and Intl. Pres. David Durkee (right). 10
L. 1 Fin. Secy.-Treas. Beth Zavala led a large group of Local 1 members and retirees to the annual meeting. BCTGM News
delēz Shareholders from further exploitation of workers in both countries and American consumers.” The event included BCTGM members from Local 1 (Chicago), Local 719 (Fairlawn, N.J.), Local 253 (Cincinnati) and Local 58G (Toledo, Ohio). Also participating in the event were representatives of Jobs with
Justice, the Northeastern Illinois Federation of Labor, Reverend C.J. Hawking from Arise Chicago, the Jewish Labor Committee, UFCW Local 881 and other union members from Chicago Federation of Labor affiliates. Following the shareholders meeting, President Durkee joined with Local 1 members and
BCTGM Intl. Pres. David Durkee shows the protection contract between Mondelez and a sham union in Mexico that shows workers are paid 97-centsper-hour in the Salinas, Mexico plant.
L. 1 Trustee Jose Gomez, L. 1 retiree Maxine Ware and L. 1 member Angel Ochoa. May/June 2019
L. 1 Pres./GEB memberDonald Woods rallies the crowd outside the Nabisco/ Mondelez shareholder meeting.
supporters at a protest outside the Hatchery Chicago in response to the food business incubator’s new partnership with Mondelez International. Assistant to the Strategic Campaigns Coordinator Nate Zeff says that by accepting investment from Mondelez, the Hatchery is condoning exploitative labor.
L. 1 Fin. Secy.-Treas. Beth Zavala and L. 1 members and retirees outside the Chicago Hatchery.
L. 1 Rec. Secy./Organizer Rochelle Ross (left) and L. 1 Fin. Secy.-Treas. Beth Zavala protest outside Chicago’s west side food incubator, The Hachery.
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2019 BCTGM
T
he BCTGM International proudly announces the winners of the 2019 BCTGM International Scholarship Program. Five $2,000 one-time awards were presented to students. The winners were chosen from a total of 86 applicants from the U.S. and Canada. The BCTGM International Scholarship
Jessica Owens, daughter of David Owens, member of BCTGM Local 410 (Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland, Canada) employed at Bimbo Bakeries Canada. Jessica will attend Memorial University of Newfoundland.
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Ariana Oropeza, daughter of Karrie Setters, member of BCTGM Local 83 (Buena Park, Calif.) employed at BCTGM Local 83. Ariana will attend West Coast University.
Program is an example of the union’s committment to higher education at a time when college costs continue to soar out of reach for many working families. Since 1962, the International has helped fulfill the educational dreams of students representing BCTGM families throughout North America.
Layne Davis, son of Donald F. Davis, member of BCTGM Local 103G (Decatur, Ill.) employed at ADM Trucking. Layne will attend Illinois State University.
Breh Ruger, daughter of Erik Ruger, member of BCTGM Local 3G (Battle Creek, Mich.) employed at Kellogg. Breh will attend Albion College.
Katelyn Hutchinson, daughter of Jeffrey T. Hutchinson, member of BCTGM Local 317T (Greensboro, N.C.) employed at ITG Brands. Katelyn will attend East Carolina University.
BCTGM News
Union Plus Conference Meets in Hershey, Pa.
To highlight the hard work of union members employed at a historic hotel in a union town, Union Plus chose Hershey, Pa. to hold its 2019 Conference.
In May, more than 70 labor liaisons were welcomed to the Hotel Hershey by Local 464 Financial SecretaryTreasurer Diane Carroll who was invited to deliver opening remarks to the Union Plus annual event. May/June 2019
More than 70 labor liaisons from throughout the U.S. gathered in Hershey, Pa. for the 2019 Conference.
Hershey is home to nearly 1,000 BCTGM Local 464 members who work at the Hershey production facility, Hotel Hershey, Hershey Park, Hershey Lodge, Giant Center Arena and the Milton Hershey School. BCTGM Director of Research & Education Matthew Clark serves as the BCTGM’s Union Plus liaison and represented the International Union at the three-day event. Clark attended workshops, discussed program updates and promotion, and connected with other union liaisons to build relationships and exchange ideas. The labor liaisons heard from representatives of Union Plus programs including the Union Plus Credit Card, Auto and Home Insurance, Car www.bctgm.org
Rental, Vacation Tours, Auto Buying and the Goodyear program. Clark said it was particularly exciting to learn how rapidly the Union Plus Free College Program is expanding to union families across the U.S. “The conference really highlighted how many programs Union Privilege has for BCTGM members. From free college to AT&T discounts to home mortgages to vacation deals, there is something for every union member,” reflects Clark.
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Pictured here, left to right, are L. 42 Organizer Darrell Copeland, BCTGM Intl. Rep. David Woods, Nestlé Quality Assurance employees Cleo Smith and Melonie Payton and L. 42 Bus. Manager David Cooper.
Nestlé Workers in Georgia Vote ‘UNION YES’ Quality Assurance workers employed at the Nestlé Purina pet food facility in Fairburn, Ga. voted overwhelmingly to become members of BCTGM Local 42 (Atlanta).
The organizing campaign began more than a year ago when several workers in the Quality Assurance department approached some of the workers in the production department who are represented by BCTGM Local 42. They had become disgruntled and wanted to learn more about union representation. The Local 42 workers reached out to BCTGM International Representative Zack Townsend, who is the former Local 42 business manager. The Quality Assurance departments at Nestlé pet food plants had not been a part of the bargaining units when organized by the BCTGM decades ago. Now these workers want a voice on the job and the protections of a union contract. International Representatives Jason Davis and David Woods assisted Local 42 officers with the campaign. They established an organizing 14 May/June 2019
committee, educated the workers about the benefits of a collective bargaining agreement, and explained how the company would react to the organizing drive. The company began holding captive audience meetings and one-on-one meetings to dissuade workers from voting for the union. The tenacity of the organizers paid off when some of the “No” votes decided to support the organizing efforts. This prompted some others who were non-committal, to also provide their support. In early June, the workers voted overwhelmingly to join Local 42. According to BCTGM Director of Organization John Price, the organizing drive was successful because the organizers showed patience and did a good job of understanding what the needs of the workers in the QA Department were. “Many workers are fearful of change; fearful of the unknown, and we have to respect that and do our best to explain the benefits of joining the BCTGM and what the union does,” stated Price. Local 42 will begin negotiations immediately.
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BCTGM News 14
Union-Owned Union Plus Mortgage Company Whether you are in the market to purchase a home or refinance an existing mortgage, Union Plus Mortgage Company provides services designed specifically to help union families. Every mortgage provides special hardship assistance in case of disability, lay off, lock out, or strike.
Union Plus Mortgage Company is owned by the AFL-CIO, Union Privilege, and a group of unions.
Convenient online application and unionized loan officers to assist you on the phone Competitive rates on a wide-range of mortgage options including conventional, FHA, and VA loans $500 gift card after closing for purchasing or refinancing – lots of options to pick from Special benefits for first-time homebuyers
Call 1-855-UNION-53 to speak with a loan officer or visit unionplusmortgage.com to learn more and apply online! May/June 2019
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Printed in the U.S.A.
PENSION Funding
Legislation Moves Forward KEEP THE PRESSURE ON! On June 11, the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act (H.R. 397) passed out of the House Committee on Education and Labor. The bill now moves to the House Ways and Means Committee for debate before moving to the full House for consideration. The BCTGM has been a leader in the effort to secure federal legislation to address the country’s growing pension funding crisis – which affects every BCTGM member with a collectively bargained pension. Since January, nearly 3,000 letters have been sent by BCTGM members, retires and supporters of
this vital legislation that would adequately address America’s growing pension funding crisis. If you have taken action by emailing your members of Congress – GREAT! But don’t stop now! Keep sending letters urging passage of this vital pension funding legislation! Contact your U.S. Representative and tell them you EARNED your pension and they need to help protect it! Ask them to support the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, H.R. 397.
Contact your U.S. Representative today and ask them to support the Rehabilitation for Multiemployer Pensions Act, H.R. 397.
Visit bit.ly/saveourpension2019 or use
your smart phone to scan the QR code and take action now!