December 2005

What do two bakeries--one in Hayward, California and the other in Oakland, California--have in common? They both recently became BCTGM union shops!

International Vice President Randy Roark reports the successful conclusion to the two organizing campaigns at Dobake Bakeries Inc. production facilities. The organizing campaigns were run by the International Union and BCTGM Local 125 (Oakland, Calif.).

Dobake was founded in 1989 as a large wholesale baking company to service San Francisco Bay area restaurants and other foodservice outlets. Since that time the company has expanded its operations to include P&C Pacific Baking Company and another Dobake production facility in Addison, Illinois. The company produces high quality doughnuts, muffins, croissants, danish, pastries, loaf cakes, dough's and seasonal baked products that presently service 25,000 locations nationwide.

Why are the products considered high quality? Because the bakery goods are produced from scratch formulas and not simply from mixes. Some of the brand names are "New Orleans" and "Elegant Pastries."

Working the organizing campaign was International Vice President Roark, International Representative & Organizer Marco Mendoza, Local 125 Financial Secretary Donna Scarano, Local 125 Business Agent Ken Young, and Local 125 rank-and-file organizers Rene Castillo and Tomas Navarro.

Congratulations to our organizers mentioned above on a job well done and to our 200 new members and bakers at Dobake!

 

September 2005

International Vice President Art Montminy reports that BCTGM Local 50 ( New York, N.Y.) has successfully concluded an organizing campaign at Penske Transportation in Hooksett, New Hampshire and Franklin, Massachusetts.

The workers at Penske distribute Friehoffer Baking Company products throughout the New England region. Montminy credits Local 50 President Joyce Alston and Business Agent Joe Svingala with the organizing win. Congratulations to Local 50 as we welcome these new bakery workers into our BCTGM family!

 

August 2005

Webster's Dictionary defines the word tenacity as "a steadfast adherence to a purpose or course of action." If the BCTGM could define the work involved with tenacity, they might simply site the organizing effort of the International and Local 125 (Oakland, Calif.) at Grace Baking Company (Canada Bread).

After losing the first organizing campaign by 25 votes in 2004, one would think the organizers would become discouraged. However that did not prove to be the case, as continued their efforts and on July 21 st they won the second organizing campaign by 28 votes!

This bakery is a new, state-of-the-art artesian bakery that produces high-end baked goods for the wholesale market. It is located in Richmond, Calif.

Region Six International Vice President Randy Roark and Local 125 Financial Secretary Donna Scarano gave credit to International Representatives Marco Mendoza and Blaine Williams, Local 125 Business Agent & Organizer Guy Jacobo, Local 125 rank-and-file organizer Tomas Navarro and the organizing committee for this victory!

International Secretary Treasurer & Director of Organization David B. Durkee gave special thanks to Region Five (Canada) International Vice President Sean Kelly for his efforts in Canada to neutralize the company's Americanized anti-union campaign.

 

July 2005

BCTGM Local 480 ( Ste-Marie, Quebec) has successfully organized Transport & Entrepot Ideal located in the province of Quebec according to International Vice President Sean Kelly.

Transport & Entrepot Ideal is the transportation contractor for BCTGM-represented companies like Rothman's Tobacco, Japan Tobacco/MacDonald Tobacco and Smuckers.

Vice President Kelly credits International Representative Steeve Bégin and the Officers of Local 480 with this organizing victory.

International Secretary-Treasurer & Director of Organization David B. Durkee stated, "This is a fine example of organizing the workers that surround us in union settings."

Congratulations to Local 480 on a job well done and we welcome the employees at Transport & Entrepot Ideal into the BCTGM family!

 

June 2005

June 3--Kellogg workers in Rome, Ga. voted to become BCTGM Local 25 (Chattanooga, Tenn.) members.

According to International BCTGM President Frank Hurt, Workers at the Kellogg plant will now enjoy the dignity, justice and respect that come with a BCTGM contract.

"These men and women take pride in their work and will now have the power to negotiate a contract that includes wages and benefits that are fair and satisfactory to them.

"This is a tremendous victory for the workers and my congratulations go out to the workers as well as the crew of rank and file organizers and International staff," said Hurt.

The BCTGM represents 4,523 workers at Kellogg plants throughout the U.S. and Canada. This organizing victory brings 584 new Kellogg workers into the union and insures them a voice at work.

 

May 2005

BCTGM Local 111 ( Dallas) successfully organized the Keebler Cookie & Biscuit Depot (Keebler is owned by Kellogg) in Schertz, Texas.

The organizing campaign was strengthened by an organizing committee comprised of more than 60 percent of the bargaining unit. As a result, the NLRB election was won by a 2:1 margin.

Working on this campaign was International Representative Cesar Calderon and Local 111 Business Agent James Taylor.

We wish to welcome the workers at the Keebler Schertz depot into the BCTGM family, which includes thousands of BCTGM members who work at both Keebler and Kellogg's!

 

April 2005

BCTGM Local 3 (Long Island City, NY) has successfully organized Allan Baking Company, in Brooklyn, New York. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) election was won by a 3:1 margin. Working on this campaign was Local 3 Organizer Manny Jiminez. The BCTGM welcomes the bakers of Allan's into our Union family!

 

March 2005

BCTGM Local 55 ( St. Leonard, Quebec) was looking to broaden their scope of organizing targets. After working on several organizing targets, the workers at Meditron Pharmaceutical Supplies, located in Terrebonne, Quebec, expressed a sincere interest in obtaining representation rights and a voice in their workplace. The International Union Staff and Local 55 organized the workers into committees, an organizing campaign ensued and ended in certification.

Congratulations to our 83 new members at Meditron and to Local 55!

 

February 2005

The San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles areas are world renown for their famous chocolates. The vast volume of the very best chocolates are manufactured by BCTGM members at companies like Ghirardelli and See’s Chocolate companies.

BCTGM Local 125 ( Oakland, Calif.) has added yet another chocolate company to that list by organizing Shaw's Chocolates located in Oakland, Calif. The organizing campaign was headed up by Business Agent & Organizer Guy Jacobo. International Representatives Marco Mendoza and Blaine Williams assisted in the later stages of the campaign.

BCTGM Local 125 represents many confectionery companies in addition to Ghirardelli and Sees, including American Licorice, Annabelle, Gimbal and, Goelitz's Jelly Belly.

Congratulations to our new members at Shaw's and to BCTGM Local 125!

 

January 2005

If you thought talented cake decorators were a thing of the past, you should visit your local union retail bakery of your area grocery store. In a union environment, the decorators are highly skilled bakers who are in demand by employers.

In Oregon, the cake decorators employed by three retail stores have recently been organized by BCTGM Local 114 ( Portland). The bakeries are the Albertson's in-store bakery #518 in Wilsonville; the Fred Meyer in-store bakery in Hillsboro; and the Fred Meyer in-store bakery in Sandy. (The BCTGM has a very high percentage of union bakers in the Portland area. If you would like to see their skills exhibited, make plans to visit the 2005 AFL-CIO Union Industry Show which will be held in Portland April 29-May 2. Visit www.unionindustriesshow.org for more information.)

In Boston, Bodavi Bakers has been organized by BCTGM Local 45 ( Boston). Local 45 Financial Secretary and Business Agent George Newman, who has been a member of our Union for more than 56 years, organized this shop.

The BCTGM International congratulations Locals 114 and 45 for their hard work and welcomes the new members in Oregon and Massachusetts into the BCTGM family!