Franz Bakery Workers on Strike in Oregon
Representing manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers in the baking, confectionery, tobacco and grain milling industries.
bctgm, bakers union, tobacco union, candy union, food workers, food workers union, grain millers, grain millers union, mondelez, nabisco, snack union,
23336
post-template-default,single,single-post,postid-23336,single-format-standard,bridge-core-2.5.9,qode-page-transition-enabled,ajax_fade,page_not_loaded,,qode-title-hidden,qode-theme-ver-24.4,qode-theme-bridge,disabled_footer_bottom,qode_header_in_grid,wpb-js-composer js-comp-ver-7.9,vc_responsive,elementor-default,elementor-kit-9096

31 Oct Franz Bakery Workers on Strike in Oregon

Posted at 15:37h in BCTGM Strike by

October 31, 2024 – Nearly 200 members of BCTGM Local 114 (Portland, Ore.), who make Franz bread products for United States Baking Company in Springfield, Ore., have initiated a ULP strike against the company.

The workers are striking over scheduling issues, work-life balance and low pay relative to the industry.

“Our Franz members want a more just and fair scheduling system. We have proposed following Oregon’s new ‘Predictive Scheduling Law’ that would give our members more notice on their schedule, restrict forced overtime and give our members more flexibility,” reports Chief Negotiator/BCTGM International Vice President Shad Clark. “Unfortunately, the company is unwilling to consider changes to the scheduling system as it currently stands.”

Clark also stated that over the past two contract cycles, the workers’ wages had fallen behind the industry average. Over that period the company has grown substantially and increased their profitability, and the members want to be rewarded for that success.

Local 114 has filed unfair labor practice charges with the federal government against Franz Bakery for unilateral changes to the collective bargaining agreement, retaliation and harassment of union representative, direct bargaining with the membership and failure to recognize union representatives. 

BCTGM Local Unions represent other Franz Baking facilities, including another bread plant in Portland, Ore. (Local 114), bakeries in Seattle, Wash. and Spokane, Wash. (L. 9), and a cookie plant in Portland, Ore. (Local 364).

As of this writing, these facilities had not initiated a strike or honored a picket line.

BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton issued the following statement in support of the striking Union members:

“The BCTGM International Union will stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters at Franz Baking for as long as it takes to achieve a fair and just contract.”

“I commend our BCTGM Local 114 members for standing up for their rights on the job and not allowing Franz to treat them like a cog in a machine. Let us not forget that our members make the profit Franz enjoys.”

Print page