“They have taken untold millions that they never toiled to earn,
But without our brain and muscle not a single wheel will turn;
We can break their haughty power, gain our freedom when we learn
That the union makes us strong!”

—“Solidarity,”Words by Ralph Chaplin

September 2004

Rich's Mothers Kitchen workers stand together for dignity, justice and respect by voting UNION YES!

Burlington, N.J.-The long-fought battle for union representation came to a victorious close on September 22 for workers at Rich's Mothers Kitchen when they overwhelmingly voted to become members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM).

The struggle to join the union began in December 2003 when a majority of the workers signed union authorization cards. BCTGM International Representative Jim Condran and BCTGM Local 6 Representative Joe Medley immediately filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to conduct a secret ballot election.

However, in the fifty days leading up to the NLRB vote, plant management violated the worker's rights in just about every way imaginable. Managers threatened workers with a loss of benefits, wages, working conditions-and worse-the loss of their jobs if they voted for the union.

In addition to the fear workers had in the face of such harassment, another obstacle faced by the organizers was that the 160-person bargaining unit was made up of workers whose primary language was not English. In fact, organizers had to communicate to workers who spoke more than seven different languages including Portuguese, Spanish, Polish, Korean and Turkish.

Because of the major labor law violations committed by the company, the BCTGM filed dozens of unfair labor practice (ULP) charges against the company. The election was ruled null and void and the company was forced to post Government Notices throughout the plant in several different languages stating that the company would not make any of the threats they did in the first election. The re-run election was held on September 22 and workers overwhelmingly voted to become BCTGM members. One member, Hilda Sabournin was on vacation the week of the election. However, she flew from Florida to New York and then drove more than 100 miles to the plant to be sure her vote to join the union was included.

"There were several important elements that led to this victory," notes Condran, who led the organizing campaign. "First, the in plant postings ordered by the NLRB. Secondly, the invaluable help by Local 6 rank-and-file organizer Edwin Prosper who spoke English and Spanish, which greatly enhanced our communication with the workers. Also vital was the inside organizing committee who took on a very active role throughout the campaign as well as the hard work and dedication of my union brothers International Representatives Joe Sardina and John Price."

October 2002

Tennessee Workers Win a Voice at Work!

On October 3-4, 2002, 275 workers at Rich's Foods Corp. in Murfreesboro, Tenn. voted to become members of the BCTGM. For the full story on this organizing victory see the November/December 2002 BCTGM NEWS, page 8.

Congratulations to those workers and welcome to the BCTGM family!