Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
July/ August 2020
Volume 22 Number 4
the PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Protecting, Representing and Navigating During COVID-19
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Over the last five months, we have experienced the devastating effects of COVID-19. Some of us have lost family and friends, and just about all of us know someone whose life has been affected by this vicious virus. In addition to the human suffering we have witnessed, we have also experienced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Nonetheless, our jobs as union leaders and activists must continue. During these challenging and uncertain times, we must navigate how to get our union business done safely and effectively while helping to protect our members at work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our members have kept North America fed over the past five months despite facing the daily health hazards of the coronavirus. The BCTGM International Union has assisted local unions in efforts to secure the healthiest possible environment for our members to continue to work. As the months tick by, BCTGM local unions across North America are being creative as they embrace the opportunity to conduct union business in a safe manner. In Rochester, N.Y., International Vice President Roger Miller and the Local 116 negotiating committee met with management of Wegmans Wholesale Bakery and negotiated a new collective bargaining agreement outside, underneath a large canopy tent. Other local unions are utilizing online video conferencing technologies to complete negotiations, ratify new agreements and conduct union meetings and trainings. Check out how our local unions are staying safe while conducting union business on page 4. While the challenges of navigating union business during the pandemic remain numerous, I am proud of the efforts our local unions and International Officers and staff have made to continue to service and represent hardworking BCTGM members throughout North America. Workers have never needed a union more than they have during this pandemic. Unorganized workers in our industries need healthcare, safe workplaces and fair treatment on the job. Recognizing this need, the International has devoted significant resources to reach nonunion workers. Under the leadership of Director of Organization John Price, a team of talented union organizers is safely and effectively communicating with workers at plants in states across the country, including
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Ohio, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Indiana, Georgia and North Dakota. In the midst of a pandemic, the political stakes are high as we battle an administration bent on taking away worker rights. Yet another challenge of COVID-19 includes working hard to make sure that voters don’t have to choose between their health or participating in our democratic process. Congress has the duty to stand with the American people in this time of great uncertainty by passing legislation that would provide states with the resources to administer the 2020 elections in a safe, fair, and accessible manner. We will only be successful if ALL of our voices are heard. Members of Congress need to hear from us and they need to listen to us. While we are certainly going to have to continue to navigate this challenging time for the foreseeable future, with solidarity we WILL get through this crisis as we have others. Brothers and sisters, over the last five months I have never been so proud of representing the hardworking members of the BCTGM. Under unbelievably difficult circumstances, you have courageously continued the production and delivery of essential goods to a nation in need, and you continue to do so day in and day out. You exemplify the best of our nation and you truly are the backbone of this country. — Anthony Shelton, 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 Anthony Shelton, Editor Corrina A. Christensen, Assistant Editor BCTGM General Executive Board President Anthony Shelton • Secretary-Treasurer David Woods Vice Presidents Shad Clark • Roger Miller Ron Piercey • Brad Schmidt • Zachary Townsend BCTGM General Executive Board Members Joyce Alston • 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
In mid-July, the civil rights community suffered the loss of two giants in the movement— the Rev. C.T. Vivian (95) and Rep. John Lewis (80). As the nation grapples with protests and demands for racial equality, we remember their unwavering commitment to social, racial and economic justice. Both friends to labor and colleagues of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., their lives were the embodiment of “good trouble, necessary trouble.” John Lewis, a revered member of Congress serving in Georgia’s 5th District for more than three decades—and the longest-serving member of the Congressional Black Caucus—carried his passion for equal rights throughout his career. He began his fight for civil rights by using his young voice to dismantle the Jim Crow South. At age 23, Lewis was the youngest person to speak at the historic 1963 March on Washington. He also participated in lunch counter sit-ins, joined the Freedom Riders in their quest to register Black voters, and helped found the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. Most notably, Lewis was on the front lines of the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, to demand African Americans’ constitutional right to vote. C.T. Vivian was a minister, civil rights leader and key adviser to King, organizing critical civil rights campaigns that shaped our country. His work spans more than six decades beginning with sit-in demonstrations in Peoria, Illinois, in the 1940s— more than a dozen years before the momentous lunch counter protests made national news. Referred to by King as “the greatest preacher to ever live,” Vivian was July/August 2020
a national director of affiliates for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and an active participant in the Freedom Rides in Mississippi, which made headlines across the South. “The BCTGM joins the entire labor and civil rights communities in mourning their deaths and take this moment to celebrate the incredible work they both accomplished. In remembrance of their legacies, we will continue to carry the torch for social justice and equality for all,” notes BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton. President Obama honored both Vivian and Lewis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, noting their lifelong work and commitment to the movement for equal rights. As we face a new wave of vicious attacks aimed at dismantling the voting rights for which these brothers so valiantly fought, we must be more resolved than ever to restore the Voting Rights Act, combat voter suppression and ensure every eligible voter in our nation is registered. As Lewis once said, “The vote is precious. It is almost sacred. It is the most powerful nonviolent tool we have in a democracy.” It is our duty to protect and defend this tool, and may the passing of these civil rights giants renew our commitment to the fight for fairness, equity and justice.
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NEGOTIATING in the Age of COVID-19 The world of BCTGM local union officers changed dramatically as North America began to deal with the effects of COVID-19 in mid-March, 2020. Soon thereafter, food
processing workers were deemed “essential workers” by the federal government, which meant that most BCTGM members had to report to work to help keep North American families fed. Over the next few months, BCTGM local unions not only had to navigate how to deal with the pandemic and the changes taking place at work when it came to workplace safety, but they also had to figure out how to take care of regular union business in a changed environment. One area that proved to be a challenge was negotiating new collective bargaining agreements. How do you conduct negotiations, which can take weeks to complete and can include up to a dozen individuals, in a safe manner that protects everyone involved? Many local unions agreed to extend their current contracts until 2021 in the hope it will be a safer environment to conduct regular negotiations. Several BCTGM local unions came up with creative approaches to deal with the challenge. BCTGM Local 116 (Rochester, N.Y.) represents more than 400 bakers who make bread and rolls for Wegmans stores across the Northeast at a large wholesale bakery in Rochester. Negotiations for a new contract began in February but were then suspended for months due to the pandemic. By June, both the local and the company wanted to finish the contract and agreed to hold it outdoors, under a giant pavilion at the company’s corporate headquarters in Rochester. Both negotiating committees wore face masks and practiced social distancing. In late June,
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negotiations were complete and union members voted overwhelmingly to accept the new pact. In Hartwell, Ga., Local 42 (Atlanta) began first-contract negotiations on a newly organized unit at Nestlé Purina’s new pet food facility before the pandemic. It was imperative to the local to conclude negotiations so that the workers would have the protections of a union contract. In June, Nestlé and the local union officers agreed to resume negotiations but with extra health and safety precautions: negotiations would be held in a large conference room with good ventilation, 6-12 foot social distancing would be enforced, participants would be required to wear face masks, and all surfaces in the room would be cleaned before and after each individual use. These negotiations are ongoing. Other local unions are utilizing online video conferencing technologies to complete negotiations and contract ratifications. Local 19 (Cleveland) conducted first-contract negotiations using the Zoom platform for the newly organized Danone non-dairy facility in DuBois, Pa. In Canada, Local 406 (Moncton, NB) also used Zoom to negotiate a new agreement with Scotian Gold Cooperative for workers at the Coldbrook, Nova Scotia apple production facility. Union members also utilized Zoom to overwhelmingly ratify the agreement. Local 22 (Minneapolis) has used Zoom to conduct negotiations and ratify agreements with several of its employers, including Form-A-Feed, Haug Companies and Lund Food Holdings. According to BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton, it is important to get expired contracts re-negotiated but only in the safest environment possible. “If negotiations can’t be held safely in person, then these negotiations should take place outdoors or remotely,” he stated.
BCTGM News
Danone DuBois Workers RATIFY FIRST CONTRACT
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ess than four months after voting to join BCTGM Local 19 (Cleveland), workers at the Danone plant in DuBois, Pa. ratified their first collective bargaining agreement on June 26. Workers at the facility, which produces plantbased powder and other non-dairy products, overwhelmingly voted to join the BCTGM in late February. It was anticipated that negotiations on a first contract would begin soon after, but when the pandemic spiked in mid-March, negotiations were put on hold. With safety concerns most pressing, Local 19 and the company agreed to conduct negotiations using the Zoom video conferencing platform. While negotiating remotely is not ideal, the Local 19 leadership, including President and International General Executive Board member Paul LaBuda, wanted the workers to get the protections of a union contract as soon as possible. According to East-Central Region Vice President Roger Miller, it was encouraging to see both sides come together in challenging times to negotiate a first contract benefiting workers. “Local 19 did a great job and it was nice to see an employer do the right
On June 24, Danone workers review the terms of their first collective bargaining agreement before overwhelmingly ratifying the pact.
July/August 2020
thing and negotiate fairly and honestly,” said Miller. “Some employers would have taken advantage of the pandemic and drawn out negotiations indefinitely, but Danone negotiated in good faith and our new members got a great contract,” Miller concluded. Because it was a first contract covering the nondairy workers, the new four-year agreement had to be drafted from scratch. The local negotiated many of the features of a traditional agreement including work hours and overtime, conditions of employment, wage rates and job classifications, job security, safety and health, grievance and arbitration procedure and health and retirement benefits. All of the bargaining was done using virtual breakout rooms on Zoom. The local union negotiated wage increases totaling $2.10/hour over the course of the contract in addition to a $500 signing bonus. In addition, the local union successfully negotiated to include the Q&A workers and shipping employees in the bargaining unit with the production workers, increasing the overall unit size. With the health and safety of the union members in mind, the workers voted over a threeday period, allowing members on each shift ample time and space to vote on the new agreement. The negotiating committee consisted of Local 19 Vice President Ed Thomas, Business Agents Jim Franklin and Stan LaBuda, and shop stewards Brent Russell and Josh Ponchel. Workers at the DuBois facility first contacted BCTGM Director of Organization John Price in mid-2019. Price, along with BCTGM organizers and officers of Local 19, met with many of the workers and talked to them about the benefits of belonging to the BCTGM. On February 29, DuBois workers voted overwhelmingly to join the union. According to Price, the purpose of organizing non-union workers is not just to win the union election, but to get that first contract. “The goal all along is to secure the protections that a union contract brings. Local 19 did a great job bringing it across the finish line,” said Price.
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BCTGM Stewards FIGHT to KEEP MEMBERS SAFE In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, BCTGM stewards are the first line of defense for members of the BCTGM. Stewards have a special role to play right now in assisting BCTGM members as they face a life-threatening pandemic. Workers in the food processing industry, including BCTGM members, have been deemed “essential” and have spent the last five months producing bread, snacks and dairy products to keep North American families fed. You Have Rights, Even in a Pandemic All the basic rights of union stewards and union leaders remain intact during the pandemic. Local unions have the right to bargain over changes in their workplaces that affect the health and safety, pay, benefits, and other working conditions of BCTGM members. This means that BCTGM stewards have the right to demand standards that will keep BCTGM members safe during the pandemic. This includes advocating for additional safety measures, employer-provided face masks, social distancing, temperature testing, increased cleaning and additional personal protective equipment. Demanding Protections for Worker Health and Safety The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have comprehensive guidelines that apply to keeping workers safe. These include guidelines for returning to work after infection. If an employer is not following these requirements, union leaders should bring that to the attention of supervisors immediately. If the union’s demands go unheard, the union should file a grievance, or consider filing an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), or file a complaint with OSHA. BCTGM local unions have the right to demand 6
to know if employees have tested positive for the virus, including those outside the bargaining unit. It is important to be able to judge independently which workers and sections of the workplace may have been impacted. Sharing this information with the union is necessary to best represent members’ needs, and protect them in the workplace. Demands on the Employer Local unions need to negotiate with their employers as to what the protocols will be when any employee tests positive for COVID-19. This includes demanding that the employer report to the union known positive cases of the virus immediately and on an ongoing basis. When the local union learns of a positive COVID-19 case in the workplace: Demand that the worksite temporarily close for sanitation. The CDC recommends waiting at least 24 hours before sanitation. All workers should be paid and receive benefits during this closure. The union should be provided a report from the cleaning service confirming the sanitation of the worksite and process used before the worksite re-opens; Workers who were sharing tools or a work area in close proximity to the employee known to have COVID-19 should be put on paid sick leave with benefits for at least 14 calendar days to see if they develop symptoms; Workers who are members of high-risk populations for severe illness, including those over the age 60, should have the right to take paid leave with benefits for at least 14 days to protect themselves. High risk groups include those who are immunocompromised, and those with underlying health conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, or who BCTGM News
have relatives at home who are at high risk for severe illness; At a minimum, workers who were ill must be fever-free for at least 72 hours (without the use of medicine that reduces fevers). If the employer and/or union members want to put additional screening measures in place to try to prevent the virus from re-entering the workplace, such as taking workers’ temperatures prior to the start of shifts, demand that such screenings take place on work time. Union Actions under “Social Distancing” During grievance handling meetings, local union officers and/or stewards should practice social distancing in combination with wearing face masks and other everyday preventive actions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. To practice social or physical distancing, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms length) from others in both indoor and outdoor spaces. When social distancing is not possible for gatherings in indoor spaces, meetings and gatherings should be held outdoors and social distancing should still be observed.
Membership meetings should be delayed to the extent possible. If they need to be held, it should be in an environment where social distancing can be practiced. Masks should be worn, and hand sanitizer should be made available to participants. Concerning negotiations, there are several options available. One possibility many have embraced is to hold negotiations outside in a tent or a pavilion. Again, maintain the social distance and wear face masks when moving around. If this is not an option, then indoor negotiations should only take place in a room large enough to maintain a 6 to 12-foot social distance between members. Lunches should be boxed and at the end of the day all surfaces should be wiped down. If none of these options are available, consider conducting negotiations and meetings virtually using an online platform like Zoom or GoToMeeting.
Stewards and local unions can contact the BCTGM’s Research & Education Department for additional information and resources. Also, check out the materials available on the BCTGM International Union’s “Stewards Corner” page on bctgm.org.
Working Safe In San Francisco, Local 24 secured 20,000 surgical masks and hand sanitizer from the California Labor Federation to distribute to every member of Local 24. Pictured here are Financial Secretary-Treasurer Joe Biringer (right) and Business Agent Juan Mejorado (left) who have been busy distributing the safety gear to every contracted workplace. The local has also delivered masks and hand sanitizer to all BCTGM local union offices in the Western Region. “We want to help make sure every BCTGM union office is a safe place to continue the important work we are all doing during the pandemic,” said Biringer.
July/August 2020
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On August 18, 1920, women gained the constitutional right to vote after a century-long fight for equal representation. This year, we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. As we approach the 2020 elections, mobilizing working women to vote is paramount to the goals of electing candidates who advocate for women, and of getting this country back on track in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic which has had a disproportionate impact on women - especially women of color.
The struggle for women’s rights was, and continues to be, multigenerational. Strong women throughout our history have shared the belief that winning the vote is a crucial first step toward empowering women in the ongoing fight for equality. The hardworking, strong BCTGM women pictured on these two pages are helping to lead the way. The BCTGM celebrates the fearless women who fought tirelessly for our right to vote. It is our duty to uphold their legacy by mobilizing women in the 2020 elections. Make sure our voices are heard this November! Visit www.workersfirstvoteunion.org
L. 253 (Cincinnati) member Lydia Groomes, Kellogg
L. 253 (Cincinnati) member Arnelia Mitchell, Kellogg 8
Intl. Rep. Lisa Gregory
BCTGM News
L. 58G (Toledo) member Becky Kassem, Hometown Foods
L. 42 (Atlanta) member Yavette Johnson, Mondelez
L. 58G (Toledo) member Heidi Bayford, Hometown Foods
L. 58G (Toledo) member Patsy Brenner, Hometown Foods
L. 42 (Atlanta) members Mary Thomas and Cynthia Hall, Mondelez
L. 42 Internal Organizer Mellisa Morley
L. 42 (Atlanta) members Wanda Harper, Murnetha Jones and Pat Maxwell, Mondelez
L. 42 (Atlanta) member Rhonda Cooper, Sonoco Foods
July/August 2020
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HEROES Act Caravan in Memphis, Tenn.
The event hosted by the Memphis and West Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council also called attention to the fight for racial equity.
L. 149 (Memphis) Pres./ Bus. Agt./GEB member Letitia Malone and Intl. Organizer/Bus. Agt. Thelma Dodson joined members of the Memphis and West Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council for a HEROES ACT car caravan through downtown Memphis.
On July 29, BCTGM Local 149 (Memphis) President/ Business Agent and GEB member Letitia Malone and International Organizer/Business Agent Thelma Dodson joined together with members of the Memphis and West Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council in a car caravan targeting U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, calling on him to support the HEROES ACT. From Midtown to Downtown, cars filled with Memphis union workers honked their horns and waved signs as they made their way to Senator Alexander’s office. According to Malone, union members in more than 40 vehicles took part in the caravan protest to call for their senators to pass the HEROES Act. “We desperately need our senators to hear us: Pass the HEROES Act!,” said Malone. “For the BCTGM, the HEROES Act includes language that will help save our multiemployer pensions. It also will help American workers with added safety standards in the workplace, extend unemployment pay and much more. There has never been a greater need for this relief package,” concluded Malone.
L. 149 (Memphis) Pres./Bus. Agt./GEB member Letitia Malone affixes a HEROES Act sign onto a car before the caravan launches.
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BCTGM News
BCTGM Local 406 Members Shine at Halifax Hampton Inn & Homewood Suites The friendliness of BCTGM Local 406 (Moncton, NB) members employed at the Hampton Inn & Homewood Suites in downtown Halifax, Nova Scotia is one of the reasons the hotel is listed among the city’s very best accommodations.
However, with travel restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the 2020 cruise ship season cancelled and few flights arriving at Halifax’s international airport, the hotel is operating at less than half capacity. In the early weeks of the pandemic,
operations were tightened, hours were cut back for everyone including management, and the Local 406 bargaining unit was reduced to just 12 workers from more than 80. Local 406 Recording Secretary George Leaman says that despite the COVID-19 pandemic and inevitable reduction in the hotel’s workforce, morale remains high and workers have persisted. Under the careful guidance of Chief Shop Steward Neal Dillion, the Local 406 members continue to work safely and more than half the union members are back to work at the renowned hotel. Local 406 represents all workers at the Halifax hotel including the front desk, wait staff, bartenders, banquet workers, laundry and housekeeping. Front desk worker Olivia Wood awaits new guests.
Front desk worker Matthew Bryne (left) and Chf. Stew. Neal Dillon.
Chf. Steward Neal Dillon (left) is the banquet captain and Dion McGowan, a member of the maintanence department.
Dayrl King works in the laundry department.
Chf. Stew. Neal Dillon (left) and Natasha Cole (right), a member of the culinary team. July/August 2020
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Mike Koglin
Jason Sopchek
Local 260G Members at
Michigan Sugar Co. Complete At Michigan Sugar Co.’s Caro, Michigan plant, nearly 200 BCTGM Local 260G (Caro) members process sugar beets at the oldest operating beet sugar processing factory in the United States. Michigan Sugar Company wrapped up its 20192020 sugar beet slicing campaign at its factories in Bay City, Caro, Croswell and Sebewaing, Mich. in the first week of April. According to Local 260G President Randy Joles, the workforce grows to more than 1,000
Chad Justice
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Jason Lynk
Record Season workers during the campaign, which is known as “the best slice.” Over the course of the season, BCTGM members at Michigan Sugar sliced more than 5 million tons of sugarbeets and produced more than 1 billion pounds of sugar. Additionally, workers at Michigan Sugar produced more than 158,000 tons of molasses and 122,000 tons of dry pulp products, both of which are sold as livestock feed. Pictured here are the hardworking members of Local 260G at the Caro Michigan Sugar plant.
Roger Yates
BCTGM News
Local 280G members outside the Western Sugar Cooperative in Torrington, Wyoming.
BCTGM Local 280G Members Maintain Western Sugar Coop. Plant
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ard work and long days define BCTGM Local 280G members who work at the Western Sugar Cooperative facility in Torrington, Wyoming. For more than 95 years, sugar beets were processed into granulated sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar and livestock feed products at the
plant. Sugar beet production is now idle but the property serves as a piling yard for the cooperative. Union members maintain and operate the facility for Western Sugar. Pictured here are the proud members of Local 280G in Torrington.
Henrietta Clutter
Daniel Pierce
Dave Larson (left) and Phil Grass.
Wayne Schamel & Donnie Van Natter July/August 2020
Shaun Struble
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Matt Stewart
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Where Are They Now: NEWS updates on Scholarship Winners
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or more than six decades, the BCTGM has been offering scholarships for incoming college students to assist them financially in their postsecondary education careers. In 2015, Gabriel Scarlett, son of Local 58G (Toledo, Ohio) member Robert Scarlett, was awarded a BCTGM International scholarship. Gabriel put the financial award toward his education at Western Kentucky University in pursuit of a degree in photojournalism. Gabriel concentrated heavily on internships during his four-year undergraduate career. Following his freshman year, he interned for the Boy Scouts of America in New Mexico. After his sophomore year, he worked for The Denver Post and following his fourth year, he interned for The L.A. Times. While at the Times, he was assigned to do photography for an award-winning story on a 65-year old naturalized citizen detained by ICE. In his senior year, Gabriel completed an internship
with National Geographic. He served as an official part of the photography team assigned to locate the exact spot where Amelia Earhart’s plane went down in the Pacific Ocean near the Phoenix Islands. Gabriel has won the College Photography of the World (covering an 18 month period) award and was the first American to do so in more than two decades. Gabriel aspires for his work to make a difference. “I hope to advocate through my storytelling. I have documented topics I find culturally or visually interesting and so far, my work has examined social issues within the United States, with special interest in stories of immigration, environmental racism and economic divide.” Gabriel’s father Robert has worked at Hometown Foods, a bakery mix plant in Toledo, for 35 years as a sanitarian. The plant has gone through multiple ownership changes including Multifoods International, General Mills, JM Smucker, before becoming Hometown Foods.
To checkout Gabriel’s award-winning work, visit gabrielscarlett.com.
2021 David B. Durkee Memorial The BCTGM International Union has been awarding scholarships to union members and their children since 1962.
Following the death of International President David Durkee earlier this year, the BCTGM International General Executive Board (GEB) voted to rename the scholarship program the David B. Durkee Memorial Scholarship Program. The 2021 David B. Durkee Memorial Scholarship Program will grant five $5,000 one-time scholarship awards. One of the five scholarships may be awarded to an active, dues paying member of the BCTGM. The program is open to members of the BCTGM and to the children of union members, all of whom must meet the eligibility requirements established by the BCTGM 14
Scholarship Program International GEB, as well as the Rules and Procedures which are approved by the GEB. Members’ children who are currently attending college or have previously attended college are not eligible to apply. Members who are currently attending college, or who have been away from school for a while, may apply either to continue, resume or begin work on a college degree. Interested individuals should note that the International Scholarship Office must receive all applications by January 31, 2021. Other program requirements (personal profile, ACT/SAT scores, academic report, essay) must be submitted to the International no later than March 31, 2021. To learn more about the 2021 David B. Durkee Memorial Scholarship Program, review the official rules and regulations and download the application, visit www.bctgm.org. BCTGM News
BCTGM’s Jason Thomas Excels in Union Plus Free College Program BCTGM International Organizer/Business Agent Jason Thomas had worked at the Bimbo Bakeries USA bakery in Oklahoma City, Okla. for 25 years when he began thinking about earning a college degree. It was in 2018 while attending the BCTGM’s International Convention as a delegate, that he learned about the Union Plus Free College Program. “It sounded like a great opportunity for me. I thought why not give it a try,” Thomas recalls. The Union Plus Free College Program partners with AFSCME and Eastern Gateway Community College to offer online courses and degree programs with no outof-pocket cost to active or retired union members and their eligible family members, including spouses and children. Thomas worked full-time at the bakery while also serving as a business agent for BCTGM Local 65 in Tulsa, Okla. With a 20-year-old daughter attending college, Thomas places a high value on education. He wanted to utilize the unique opportunity to earn a college degree while working full time as a union leader. Thomas enrolled in Eastern Gateway’s Business Management associate degree program, with a focus on Labor Studies. He has taken classes in a range of subjects, from computer science to the history of the American labor movement. Thomas has maintained a 4.0 GPA and recently completed his fourth semester. “I’m on the honor roll and I’ve gotten an A in every class I’ve taken. When I
got the letter that I made honor roll, I thought, ‘Wow, I did it!’” Because the classes are all online, union students can work on their own time between coursework deadlines. “I really like it,” he says. “I can go at my own pace and that makes the experience even more enjoyable for me,” he says. Thomas enrolls in one to two classes at a time. While he says he is not exactly sure when he’ll complete the degree, the pace allows him to enjoy the learning experience while juggling work and family responsibilities. “I’m taking my time, one class at a time, and enjoying it,” he says. In March, Thomas was hired as a BCTGM International Organizer/Business Agent, working as organizer and assisting International Representatives and Vice Presidents in the field. Thomas believes that a college degree will contribute to his work for the International Union. Thomas comes from a long line of proud BCTGM union members. In 1995, Thomas joined Local 173 in Oklahoma City, Okla. when he went to work for Rainbo Bakery. He follows his mother, father, grandfather and grandmother as hardworking members of Local 173. Both his father and grandfather worked for Bond bakeries, and later, his grandfather retired from a Rainbo Thrift shop. His grandmother worked as the secretary for Local 173. Later, his mother was hired by the Local as secretary and eventually was elected as Local 173 Business Agent. (Local 173 merged with Local 65 in Tulsa, Okla. in 2001.)
Learn more about the Free College Program and its associated benefits at unionplusfreecollege.org. July/August 2020
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