13 Sep Settlement Reached at Nestle Purina
Members of BCTGM Local 366G (Oklahoma City, Okla.) have overwhelmingly ratified a new collective bargaining agreement with Nestle Purina in Oklahoma City.
The four-year agreement features a $1.30 wage increase each year, for a total of $5.20 over the term of the contract. The bargaining committee also secured an additional paid holiday (Juneteenth), plus two additional personal floating holidays, for a total of four.
In addition, the new contract increases the tool allowance and bereavement leave for the members, includes a 30-minute new employee orientation, and adds new maintained health and pension benefits. An important change was made to overtime language, whereby employees who were improperly bypassed for overtime hours would be automatically compensated.
The bargaining committee, led by BCTGM International Representative Jason Thomas, included Local 366G President Darian Haggins, Vice President Karlos Brothers, Financial Secretary Chad Baugh and Local Union Leaders James Perez, Natasha Long, Mike Strawther, Todd Cook, Jermaine Chiles, Bryan Raley, and Andy Bernhardt.
Longtime members said they could not remember a raise as large as this one. According to Thomas, the stellar contract was the direct result of the solidarity of the members. โThis is an extremely strong Local Union, from the leadership to the members, and they all knew they had to stick together to achieve a great contract,โ said Thomas.
A large part of that strength lies in the fact the Local Union has almost 100% membership in the facility. According to Local 366G Vice President Karlos Brothers, because the plant is in a Right-to-Work state, the Local Union officers and stewards must work extra hard to sign up new employees. โWe work with our stewards on internal organizing, utilize our time with new employees to teach them about the union, and we have created a union culture that gives us strength,โ said Brothers.
The 300 members at the Nestle Purina plant in Oklahoma City produce dry dog and cat food products such as Purina One, Beneful and Purina Dog Chow. Local 366G has represented the Nestle Purina members since 1974.