News

Redco Foods, union to return to bargaining table

Posted December 10, 2007 10:00 pm

Eric Monnat

Union leaders representing workers at Redco Foods Inc. will head to the bargaining table tomorrow with representatives from the company for the first time in almost six weeks to resume discussions on creating a new contract.

The union's contract with Redco expired July 1 and the union has been on strike since Nov. 1.

When the two sides meet on Wednesday, it will be the first face-to-face meeting since late October, according to Mike Feeney, vice president of Local 50 of The Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, the union that represents workers at Redco.

<tbody>

<tr>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

"The company refuses to negotiate with us," said Feeney regarding why it took the two sides so long to resume the bargaining process.

In the time between bargaining sessions, a federal mediator has been working on the case.

Each day, union members picket outside the factory in Little Falls beginning at 6 a.m. and at a warehouse in East Herkimer beginning at 7 a.m.

<tbody>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Around 50 employees have been rotating between the locations with various shifts until 5 p.m., often times, huddled around a burn barrel to stay warm in the winter weather.

Since the union is on strike, the employees have not received a paycheck in over a month, making the winter and holiday season difficult.

"No money coming in gets tough with oil bills and the holidays," said Feeney.

<tbody>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

He said other local unions have shown their support for Local 50, but no county officials have come out to visit the picket line yet.

"(County officials) haven't shown support for the taxpayers of Herkimer County," added Feeney.

The company has asked for three items in the new contract that the union says it cannot accept. The sticking points are for employees to pay 25 percent of medical premiums, to switch from a defined pension plan to a 401k and to accept a reduced vacation allotment.

<tbody>

<tr>

</tr>

<tr>

</tr>

</tbody>

</table>

Union members have previously said they are looking to protect future employees who work at the plant by not accepting the company's proposed contract.

Redco manufactures and distributes various food and beverage items under the brands Salada, Red Rose and Junket.

Attempts to reach representatives at Redco were not successful before press time.

Article Categories
News