December 2004

International Vice President Sean Kelly reports that BCTGM Local 406 (Moncton, New Brunswick) has successfully organized another Canada Bread facility. On November 19, 2004, the New Brunswick Labour Board officially certified Local 406 as the official bargaining representative of the workers at Canada Bread's Grand Falls, N.B. facility. Because New Brunswick labor law allows certification through card check recognition, the Local was able to avoid an election by easily showing majority support by the workers in the facility.

The Grand Falls plant, which employs approximately 100 people, produces pastries, donuts and cookies for the eastern Canada market.
The Organizing drive was led by Local 406 Business Agent Mark Robar and International Organizer Steeve Begin. Local 406 recently organized Canada Bread's Woodstock, N.B. facility and also represents Canada Bread's production workers and drivers in Moncton.

 

November 2004

The BCTGM received official notice from the NLRB that the three-and-a-half year organizing struggle at Sara Lee's Redding French Bakery in Redding, Calif. (with two winning elections and two winning administrative judge trials) has finally ended in certification.

The BCTGM had won this organizing election in 2001, however, the company challenged the election and tied up the union in court ever since. The organizing campaign was led by International Representative & Organizer Marco Mendoza, assisted by International Representative & Organizers John Price and Blaine Williams. The organizing campaign was led on the local level by BCTGM Local 85 Financial Secretary and Organizer Marty Zimmerman.

 

October 2004

In Burlington, N.J., the long-fought battle for union representation came to a victorious close on September 22 for 160 workers at Mother's Kitchen (owned by Rich Products), when they overwhelmingly voted to become members of BCTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia).

The struggle to join the BCTGM began in December 2003 when a majority of the workers signed union authorization cards. However, in the 50 days leading up to the NLRB vote, managers threatened workers with a loss of beneifts, wages, working conditions--and worse--the loss of their jobs if they voted for the union. The BCTGM filed unfair labor charges with the NLRB and the company settled the case prior to trial. The settlement set aside the results of that election and ordered a re-run election on September 22.

The organizing campaign was led by BCTGM International Representative & Organizer Jim Condran with the asistance of Local 6 rank-and-file organizer Edwin Prosper. According to Condran, the assistance of Prosper, who speakes both English and Spanish, greatly enhanced communication with the workers who collectively speak more than seven languages. Also vital to the campaign were Local 6 Business Agent Joe Medley and International Representatives & Organizers Joe Sardina and John Price.

 

July 2004

Region Five Vice President Sean Kelly reports that the International Union and Local 480 (Ste-Marie, Quebec) have successfully organized the production bakers at Bagel Tradition'L Bakery (owned by Weston's Baking Company) in Ste-Foy, Quebec. There was an election and the BCTGM received 89 percent of the votes. Assisting the officers of Local 480 and the organizing committee in the shop was International Representative & Organizer Steeve Begin.

Local 480 have concluded negotiations with the new plant and have a collective agreement. Congratulations to Local 480 and our new BCTGM members, who continue to utilize the RCN (Rebuild Canada Now) Organizing program to build their local union!

 

June 2004

Local 203T (Richmond, Va.) has organized the highly skilled production technicians who work at the Williamsburg, Va. Philip Morris "York" manufacturing facility. Tobacco Industry Vice President T. J. Warren credits this successful organizing effort to International Representative & Organizer Barry Baker and Local 203T President Oscar Giles, Jr.

According to Region 6 Vice President Randy Roark, Local 401 (Salt Lake, Utah) has organized the workers at a recently renovated shipping terminal in Twin Falls, Idaho owned by Interstate Baking Company (IBC). IBC purchased this terminal from Consolidated Freightways and renovated the building to use as a shipping depot. The new union members at this location are bakery shippers. BCTGM Local 401 Business Agent & Financial Secretary Rod Reineccius worked with International Representative & Organizer Eric Anderson on this successful organizing project.

Local 163 (Houston, Texas) has organized the Sara Lee-Earthgrains' shippers and loaders at the company's Harlingen, Texas location, according to BCTGM Vice President Tony Johnson. These bakery workers were organized by International Representative & Organizer Dale Nichols.

We welcome all of our new members who are shippers and technicians into the BCTGM family of proud union members!

 

May 2004

BCTGM International President Frank Hurt is pleased to report that the San Diego Bread Company production plant, located in San Diego, Calif. has been organized by the International Union and BCTGM Local 315 (San Diego). The organizing campaign ended with a National Labor Relations Board election, which our Union had won, by more than a three to one margin. According to Local 315 Financial Secretary/Business Agent Deborah Lacey-Zuelsdorf, "The organizing issues at this bakery were about being treated with dignity, justice and respect by the local plant management."

"Communications with the employee's was key to our campaign," according to International Representative Marco Mendoza, who worked with Zuelsdorf to keep important information flowing to the bakers via housecalls, mailings and also utilized a telephone tree for phone calls. Both Mendoza and Zuelsdorf gave credit to International Vice President Randy Roark for his assistance during the campaign and the plant organizing committee for all the hard work they performed on behalf of their fellow bakers. San Diego Bread produces only sourdough baked products, which include rounds, loaves, baguettes, and sculpted breads. Sourdough breads ingredients are all-natural and contain no added fats. The only ingredients used are unbleached flour, water, salt and sourdough starter.

Also in California, the drivers and utility workers who are employed by Boudin Baking Company (also a sourdough baker) located in San Francisco, Calif. are now members of BCTGM Local 24 (San Francisco). While the Boudin Bakery bakers are already members of the BCTGM, the drivers and utility workers were non-union. These workers are now proud members of Local 24 and are part of the existing bargaining unit.

Lastly, the mechanical engineers at Nords Dairy Systems located in Los Angeles, Calif., have become members of BCTGM Local 37 (Los Angeles). At this particular plant, Nords Dairy produces ice cream wafer cones for their ice cream plants. The Nords Dairy cone plant production workers are already members of Local 37, but the mechanical engineers were non-union. Working on this organizing effort was International Representatives Marco Mendoza and Blaine Williams, and Local 37 President Danny Polanco.

We welcome all of our new members from California into the BCTGM family of proud union members!

 

April 2004

International Vice President Sean Kelly reports that Local 333 (Montreal, Quebec) organized approximately 40 workers at the Comfort Inn in Laval, Quebec. The workers at the Comfort Inn, include chambermaids, restaurant workers, and the reception department. The organizing campaign was led by Local 333 leadership, with assistance from International Organizer Steeve Begin. Local 333 is currently involved in negotiations with the company.

In March, 2004, Local 480 (Ste. Marie, Quebec) won an organizing campaign at Pro-Fab Residences, when approximately 85 workers unanimously signed certification cards supporting BCTGM representation. Located in Valee-Jonction, Pro-Fab manufactures pre-fabricated housing for the Quebec market. These workers originally belonged to the Centrale de Syndicats Democratique (CSD) but disaffiliated from them in November 2003. International Organizer Steeve Begin, and the Local 480 leadership, led this successful organizing effort.

 

March 2004

In October of 2002, Chicago based Gonnella Baking Company started initial production in their new 65,000 sq.-ft. facility in Aurora, Ill.

The Aurora plant had previously been an Earthgrains-Metz production plant (which closed). Gonnella completely gutted the building and installed new equipment. The plant produces fresh baked, fresh baked frozen and frozen dough products for in-store bakeries and food service operators for the entire U.S. market.

The BCTGM Union is proud Gonnella decided to recognize BCTGM Local 1 (Chicago, Ill.) as the bargaining representative for the bakers at this plant. BCTGM bakers have been part of a rich tradition at the Gonnella Chicago and Schamburg plants (which produces 1.5 million pounds of product weekly) and have played a very important role in the company's success. The Gonnella Aurora plant produces 80,000 pounds of product daily and employs 50 workers.

In the first campaign, 32 pastry bakers at Sweet Hereafter, L.L.C., (Tom Cat Baking Company), located in Long Island City, N.Y., received representation rights by Local 3 after the company recognized the BCTGM after the organizing effort.

Also, the office and clerical staff, who are employed at M&A Baking Company located in Plainview, N.Y., were organized by Local 3.

President Hurt stated that, "These two recent organizing campaigns are part of the rich organizing history of Local 3, which will always make them a viable force in representing their members."

Next month, we will give you an update on successful organizing in Canada.

 

February 2004

BCTGM Local 232 (Phoenix, Ariz.) continues to build on the success of its new organizing program, Rebuild Phoenix Now (RPN). In an eleven-month period, the local has won two organizing campaigns at bakery production facilities. The most recent organizing victory occurred at E.P.I. Breads Phoenix, L.L.C., in Tempe, Ariz. E.P.I. Breads actually resides inside the Tempe Holsum Baking Company plant, which is represented by Local 232.

E.P.I. was formed as a limited liability corporation owned by Ed-E (which is a corporation controlled by Holsum Phoenix Bakery owner Ed Eisle) and a Georgia corporation called Lavoi. The company was created to produce and distribute "E.P.I. Bread Products," including frozen parbaked French and Italian breads for distribution in the Western U.S. This resulted in a non-union bargaining unit, inside a BCTGM union plant.

Local 232 lost a lengthy and exhaustive National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) unit clarification legal battle, however, it only caused the E.P.I. bakers to want BCTGM representation even more. With this support and a great organizing committee, we won an election on September 11, 2003!

We would like to congratulate International Representative Marco Mendoza who led this campaign, International Vice President Harry Guildner who assisted and the Local 232 Financial Secretary Greg Bell, and the E.P.I. committee. We are proud to have the 55 bakers at E.P.I. in our BCTGM family!

 

January 2004

International Vice President Jeanne Graham reports that Local 280 (Evansville, Indiana) has organized the newly built Ferry Morse Seed warehouse and shipping facility located in South Fulton, Tennessee.

This facility is a high tech product deployment center that ships seeds all over the world. Local 280 also represent the workers at the Ferry Morse Seed production facility in Fulton, Kentucky. Graham credits Local 280 Business Agent & Secretary-Treasurer Dennis Howard for pursuing this organizing target. Ferry Morse has been in business since 1856 and produces seeds and seed starter products.

Congratulations to our new members at Ferry Morse Seed!