December 2007

How long does it take for a local union to add organizing to their local union philosophy and how long does it take to become successful? Just ask Local 358 (Richmond, Virginia) Financial Secretary Ted Constable and President Ray Daniels, because they have been there! 

After getting being elected as officers of the local, Constable and Daniels were convinced that if their local union was to survive, they would have to organize. They also believed they would have to utilize computer technology in their efforts. After honing their computer skills and using them to manage organizing data and potential member information and later developing communications tools, Constable and Daniels began the first of many organizing campaigns to come. 

As Constable put it, "We learned the hard way when we started, but we learned from our mistakes. The International Union educated us on how to organize and then they provided the ground support during the campaigns." 

Their first organizing effort was at the I.B.C. thrift stores in Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Portsmouth, and Newport News, Virginia, and they won! The next effort was a plastics company that produced plastic caps for spice bottles (since the local represents a spice company), but this effort failed. Then it was on to the Kraft Warehouse Customer Logistics warehouse in Chesapeake and Richmond, Virginia, where they had their second taste of victory. The next organizing effort at the huge Supervalu Warehouse (Richmond, Virginia) failed, but the local union did win the support of more than 150 workers employed there. The local union's most recent victory just occurred with the I.B.C. drivers in Portsmouth, Virginia. 

Constable and Daniels have been successful in introducing an organizing culture into Local 358 and they have big plans for the future. The local has two on going organizing campaigns at the present time. 

"Our goal is to add more than 350 new members at newly organized shop by the end of 2009," stated Constable. 

Stay tuned, as we will report on their progress!

November 2007

BCTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia) organized Weston's new cake bakery in Hazelton, Pa., according to International Vice President Bob Oakley. 

The bakery is the site of the former Boboli Pizza Crust & Waffle plant (also formerly owned by Weston's), which was organized by Local 6 and the International Union on October 3, 2001. Boboli closed October 25, 2005.

The plant remained vacant until Weston's recently moved portions of its cake lines to the Hazelton location from their facility in Bay Shore, N.Y. The Bay Shore plant is represented by BCTGM Local 3 (Long Island City, N.Y.).

Local 6 was determined that this product was not going to be produced in a non-union facility and started an organizing campaign as soon as the plant opened. The organizing effort ended in recognition. The plant will produce Entenmann's brand cakes.

September 2007

BCTGM Local 3 (Long Island City, New York City, N.Y.) successfully organized Essential Wholesale Cheesecake in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Local 3 President Narciso Martas stated that it was the bread and butter issues (wages, medical coverage and pension) that lead to the successful organizing campaign which ended in recognition. Essential produces wholesale cheesecakes for the New York City Metropolitan area.

April 2007

International Vice President Sean Kelly reports that Local 261T ( Quebec City, QC) has successfully organized the warehouse workers employed by Rothman, Benson & Hedges Tobacco in Montreal. These warehouse workers fill salesperson orders.

The organizing campaign concluded with certification and no election, after a majority of the authorization for representation cards were provided to the Quebec Labour Board.

Workers in Quebec enjoy labor laws that are very similar to provisions in the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on March 1. The legislation is now before the U.S. Senate.

January 2007

International Vice President Bob Oakley reports that the International Union and BCTGM Local 70 (Grand Rapids, Mich.) has successfully organized Roskam Baking (of Rothbury Farms).

This plant is located on 44th Street in Grand Rapids. Vice President Oakley worked on the campaign and credits International Representative Jimmy Condran and Local 70 Business Agent/Financial Secretary Orin Holder with the organizing effort, which resulted in recognition.

We welcome our new members from Roskam Baking into our Union!