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December 2003
Local 406 (Moncton, N.B.) has organized the Bonte
Foods production plant, in Dieppe, New Brunswick. Workers at the
plant make pasta shells, a variety of sauces and pita breads.
Bonte Foods Limited began their operations in 1977 under the name Greco
Foods Limited. It supplied the Greco Donair Restaurants with donair
and pizza products. The product list has grown to include meat products,
pita breads, bagels, donair & pizza sauces and soups. These products
are sold in Canada and Europe. The plant recently underwent its fourth
expansion.
Congratulations to all involved in this effort and we welcome all of
our new members at Bonte Foods into the BCTGM family!
November
2003
The International Union and Local 348 (Framingham,
Mass.) completed the successful organization of the newly constructed
815,000-square-foot production facility of the New England Confectionery
Company (NECCO) in Revere, Mass.
NECCO is an innovative company that purchases old candy companies,
uses technology to improve efficiencies and re-releases the brand to
the marketplace. In the past few years, NECCO purchased non-union candy
companies Durand Candy and Haviland Confectionery Company. BCTGM Local
348 has represented NECCO workers at the production facility in Cambridge,
Mass. since 1958. In late 2000, with NECCO's purchases of other companies
and with business booming, the company decided to consolidate their
production into single plant.
Earnest negotiations regarding the accretion of the workers who were
not represented by a union into the current contract and the recognition
of the entire unit began in April of 2002. The result of this campaign
was that the BCTGM would have one collective bargaining agreement to
cover three production facilities, until these plants consolidated into
the new location.
The BCTGM will gain 265-300 new members from the non-union locations.
During the peak confectionery season, this plant will employ 700 BCTGM
members. The massive plant has ample room to expand, and as NECCO continues
make acquisitions, BCTGM membership at the facility will continue to
grow.
International Secretary-Treasurer & Director of Organization David
B. Durkee sited the innovative approach taken by Vice President Montminy
and Local 348 in this organizing campaign, by using accretion and recognition
organizing processes instead of using traditional organizing efforts
at the non-union plants. Durkee stated that our Union used it's power
at the bargaining table, coupled with a long, good working relationship
with NECCO to achieve our organizing goals and to give the workers a
voice and representation at their workplace.
Congratulations to all involved in this effort and we welcome all of
our new members at NECCO into the BCTGM family!
September/October 2003
International Vice President Sean Kelly is proud to announce
that the International Union and Local 55 (St-Leonard, Quebec),
with the cooperative assistance of Local 333 (Montreal, Quebec) organized
the Boulangerie au Pain Doré production plant located
in Montreal. International Organizer Steeve Begin utilized all of the
organizing strategies of the BCTGM's Rebuild Canada Now (RCN) program
during this organizing campaign. The BCTGM came back after losing an
election at this facility by one (1) vote on November 6, 2002, to win
certification this year! This is testimony to the will, dedication and
tenacity of the Quebec BCTGM Local Unions and the International Union
to the RCN Program. The new members at Boulangerie au Pain Doré
work in the production, maintenance, sanitation and shipping departments
and they produce breads, buns, cakes and frozen baked goods. We welcome
all 151 bakers into the BCTGM.
Also in Canada, Local 264 (Toronto, Ontario) and the International
Union organized the Beta Brands Chocolate plant located in North
York, Ontario. International Organizer Karl Walker worked with the Officers
of Local 264 in this successful effort. Local 264 is also heavily involved
in the BCTGM RCN organizing program, and they have organized 354 new
members at four (4) new plants in the last 18 months!
August 2003
The International Union and Local 37 (Los Angeles)
has organized the Jon Donaire (Rich Foods) ice cream plant
in Santa Fe Springs, Calif. This brand new plant is the second state-of-the-art
production facility that Rich Foods has built and will employ from 168
to 208 new BCTGM members. The plant makes fully finished desserts such
as the famous Donaire's buttercrunch crust, New York Cheesecake, moussecakes
and other specialty ice cream cakes. These desserts are sold to chain
restaurants, in-store bakeries, club stores and foodservice operators.
Working on this organizing campaign was International Representative
Arturo Silva (who passed away on July 24th, 2003), and Local 37 President
Danny Polanco, Secretary Treasurer Felipe Lopez and Business Agent Philip
Gonzalez.
Local 218 (Kansas City, MO) has organized the workers that work
in quality control at Doanes Pet Foods in Joplin, Missouri. Local
218 Business Manager Brad Schmidt and his fellow officers worked on
this successful organizing election.
Local 19 (Cleveland, Ohio) has organized the in-store bakers
at all of the recently renovated Kroger stores in Toledo, Ohio.
These stores were purchased by Kroger from Foodtown and completely remodeled.
Approximately 30 to 40 bakers will join Local 19 as a result of this
campaign.
We welcome all of these new members into the BCTGM and we congratulate
Locals 19, 37 and 218 on a job well done!
July 2003
In April the International announced that Local 37
(Los Angeles) had organized the bakers at Traditional Baking
Company (which is part of Voortman's Cookie Company) in Bloomington,
Calif. The top concern of the workers during that drive was that the
number of temporary agency workers hired by the company to work in the
plant began to outnumber the company's full time workers. All votes
cast in this election were for the BCTGM.
Now Local 37 have organized the 65 temporary employees who work
at the plant. The company's attorneys excluded these temporary workers
from the bargaining unit and did not give them a chance to vote in the
first representation election. However, organizing efforts continued.
Once the temporary workers were given the opportunity to vote, they
cast their votes unanimously for the BCTGM.
Congratulations to these workers, who never gave up in their fight to
vote for union representation!
June 2003
President Hurt is pleased to announce that the BCTGM International
Union has organized the Interstate Baking Corporation (IBC) plant
in Henderson, Nevada (a suburb of Las Vegas). This new production
facility is a 251,000 square-foot plant that sits on 24 acres of land.
The bargaining unit consists of the production, maintenance, shipping,
receiving, sanitation and distribution departments. The plant will produce
a full line of baking products. The plant will be represented by Local
37 (Los Angeles, CA).
IBC is the largest baking company in North America, producing
brands such as Wonder, Hostess, Home Pride, Drake's, Beefsteak, Bread
du Jour, Dolly Madison, Butternut, Merita, Parisian, Columbo, Sunbeam,
Holsum, Di Carlo, J.J. Nissen, Marie Callender's and others. The BCTGM
presently more than 10,000 workers at 52 of the 58 IBC plants in the
United States.
May 2003
Local 468 (Vancouver, British Columbia) has organized
two Safeway in-store bakeries located in Sidney and Mission,
B.C.
BakeMark, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., has been organized by the
International Union and Local 50 (New York, N.Y.). BakeMark is
owned by CSM N.V., located in Diemen, Netherlands. CSM N.V. is an international
food and ingredient distributor and BakeMark is a division that produces
bakery ingredient.
April 2003
Local 1-G (Minneapolis, Minn.) has organized
Ethanol 2000 L.L.P. in Bingham Lake, Minnesota.
Why, you ask, would the BCTGM organize an energy fuel production plant?
The common denominator is grain, or in this case-number two yellow corn,
the main ingredient of ethanol production. Ethanol 2000 is a dry mill
fuel ethanol plant designed to produce 3,600 gallons of fuel per hour
or 30,000,000 gallons per year. To achieve this these new BCTGM members
mill 11 million bushels of corn annually. In the process an additional
93,500 tons of dried distiller's grains are produced. Additionally,
there is a carbon dioxide compression plant on site that produces 240
tons of liquid carbon dioxide per day. Liquid carbon dioxide is most
commonly used in soft drinks, dry ice and water purification.
March 2003
Traditional Baking Company, which is part of voortman's
Cookies, was organized by Local 37 (Los Angeles). Bakers at the
production facility in Bloomington, Calif. knew they need a voice at
work when the temporary agency employees began to outnumber the company's
workforce. Local 264 (Toronto) represents several hundred bakers
at the Vootman's Burlington, Ontario production plants.
Two new Interstate Baking company bakery thrift stores
have been organized by the BCTGM. Local 57 (Columbus, Ohio) organized
the Marriott, Ohio store and Local 65 (Tulsa, Okla.) organized
the Oklahoma City store.
February 2003
BCTGM Local Unions in Oregon, Washington and Northern
California have reported some very good organizing results by organizing
a total of 17 new retail grocery in-store bakeries in their areas during
2002.
Local 9 (Seattle, Wash.) organized eight new retail bakeries
owned by Albertson's, Haggen's Top Foods, Quality Foods and Safeway.
Local 85 (Sacramento, Calif.) organized seven new Safeway
retail bakeries and Local 114 (Portland, Ore.) organized two
new Safeway retail bakeries.
Also, in the Region Three, Local 22 (Minneapolis, Minn.) organized
five new Cub's in-store retail bakeries, one new Lunds-Byerly
retail bakery and one new Byerly retail bakery during 2002. During
a two year period (2001 & 2002) Local 22 organized 21 new
Cub's retail bakeries, five Lunds-Byerly bakeries and
one new Byerly retail bakery for a total of 282 newly organized
members for their local.
All BCTGM Local Unions should check their local grocery stores to see
if the retail bakers working at the in-store bakery are represented
by a Union. If they are not, talk to these workers about the benefits
of belonging to the BCTM, while you purchase an item from them. You
just might end up with new members!
January 2003
- Workers employed at the newly built Mid-Atlantic Baking Company
in Baltimore are now represented by Local 68 (Baltimore) Mid-Atlantic
produces a full line of bun and rolls for major grocery store chains.
International President Frank Hurt commended Local 68 and stated that
the local exemplifies why organizing is important. Hurt recalled that
while virtually all of Local 68's shops had closed over a period of
time, the local continued to organize. “The results are that
Local 68 remains a strong, vibrant local union because of their efforts
in organizing,”concluded Hurt.
- Modeling the successful Canadian organizing program, RCN (Rebuild
Canada Now), BCTGM Local 232 (Phoenix, Arizona) launched
a similar program they've dubbed RPN (Rebuild Phoenix Now).
Determined to organize and grow their local union, the new local leadership,
including President Dwayne Soards have scored their first organizing
victory. The local's RPN program has successfully organized all production
bakers, maintenance, sanitation and the shipping and receiving department
at Capistrano's Baking Company in Tempe, Ariz. According to
Sec.-Treas./Director of Organization David B. Durkee, special credit
for this win goes out to Luis Sandoval who had the courage to stand
up for his fellow workers at Capistano's and eventually prevailed
over the company's illegal tactics. Sandoval received $7,000 in back
pay per a NLRB Unfair Labor Practice Settlement during the campaign.
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