Nestle Purina Workers Celebrate Another Successful Organizing Win
Representing manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers in the baking, confectionery, tobacco and grain milling industries.
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08 Nov Nestle Purina Workers Celebrate Another Successful Organizing Win

Posted at 11:54h in Local Union News, Organizing by

In early October, maintenance workers at the new Purina pet food plant in Hartwell, Ga. voted to join BCTGM Local 42 (Atlanta). This organizing win followed the successful election of quality control workers at the Fairburn, Ga. pet food facility, also represented by Local 42.

The Hartwell plant opened in early 2018 as a distribution center while the production facility was being built. In May 2018, workers at the new plant reached out to the BCTGM to form a union. Local 42 organizers met with the maintenance workers to answer questions, educate them on the benefits of joining the BCTGM, and explain the difference a union contract make.

A majority of the workers showed great interest in joining Local 42 and signed authorization cards. Despite the overwhelming support, Nestle refused to recognize the union. Local 42 filed a petition for election with the National Labor Relations Board for early October.

Once Nestle realized there was a high level of support for joining BCTGM Local 42, the company launched its own anti-union campaign. This included shipping in executives from Nestle headquarters in Arlington, Va. to hold captive audience meetings and intimidate union supporters.

In addition to using these tactics with maintenance employees who would be voting, the company also utilized such anti-union strategies on newly hired production workers, fearful they too would want the benefits of belonging to the BCTGM.

According to BCTGM International Director of Organization John Price, employers pressure employees to vote against unionization even when those same employees have already shown support for the union. โ€œThese employerโ€™s use scare tactics and intimidation to convince workers to vote against their own self-interest. Workers that are not afraid will always vote to join the union,โ€ said Price.

To counter these anti-union tactics, Local 42 organizers met regularly with the workers, recounting positive experiences at other BCTGM-represented Nestle Purina plants, while calling out the companyโ€™s falsehoods.

The dedication of the organizers paid off as the majority of voters who attended these voluntary BCTGM meetings voted Union Yes. According to BCTGM International Representative Zack Townsend, Local 42 has negotiations on a first contract for the maintenance unit. โ€œAnd at the same time, weโ€™ll continue to help the other units in the facility join the BCTGM and realize their goal of dignity, justice and respect on the job,โ€ adds Townsend.

Nestle is expected to invest more than $300 million at the Hartwell facility, which will be among the most modern pet food factories in the United States. BCTGM Local 42 also represents 300 workers at the companyโ€™s Fairburn, Ga. pet food factory. In Oklahoma City, BCTGM Local 366G represents workers at the Nestle Purina pet food facility.

Nestle Purina is a subsidiary of Nestle SA, one of the largest food and beverage companies in the world.

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