Local Union News
Representing manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers in the baking, confectionery, tobacco and grain milling industries.
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Nearly one year after voting to become members of BCTGM Local 149 (Memphis, Tenn.), workers at the Blues City Brewery in Memphis ratified their first union contract on November 11, 2021. The first order of business for the more than 700 workers at the large industrial brewery, according to BCTGM Southern Region Vice President Zack Townsend, was to nominate shop stewards. Once elected, it was vital that the Union hold shop steward training to educate the...

03 March, 2022

On Friday, BCTGM Local 149 and Blues City Brewery workers were joined by striking Kelloggโ€™s Local 252G members and the Memphis labor community outside the massive brewery for a rally to call attention to the workerโ€™s fight for a first contract. Local 149 has been working hard to achieve a first contract to help protect the workers of Blues City Brewery and address the issues they face at the massive 1.3 million-square-foot plant. Workers at the...

08 November, 2021

On October 7th, BCTGM Local 264 (Toronto) held a day of union generosity to provide members formerly employed by Delโ€™s Pastry with union foods to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving. Delโ€™s Pastry was destroyed by a fire on June 15th. According to BCTGM Canadian Vice President Ron Piercey, the party lasted more than six hours. Union members dropped in and out of the event throughout the day as some members are working at other places while they wait...

23 October, 2021

On July 5, more than 600 BCTGM Local 218 members at the Topeka, Kansas Frito Lay plant went out on strike against one of Americaโ€™s largest snack makers. Workers at the plant have been pushed to exhaustion and frustration with a company that refuses to address their concerns. This is the first of a BCTGM blog series that will introduce some of the hardworking Local 218 members on strike and walking the picket line outside...

16 July, 2021

Cookies, pies, muffins, artesian breads, cakes, cheese cakes, bagels and numerous other specialty bakery items sold in 106 Wegmans stores are proudly made by hard-working BCTGM Local 116 (Auburn, N.Y.) workers at the companyโ€™s flagship bakery in Rochester, N.Y. Carlos Andujar (Breads, Local 116 President) and Ray Colon (shop co-chair)Corelis Matos Ross, Fardosa Said, Rodha Said, and Justina Nwamadi (Sweets)Jose Gonzalez and Alexander Daniel (Parbake)Rosa West and Val Wheems (Sweets)Vahid Begovic (Shipping) There are 424 union...

02 July, 2021

Two BCTGM local unions represent workers at several chemical companies all located within a sprawling 400-acre industrial complex in a remote corner of Shelby County, Tennessee. Local 407G (Memphis, Tenn.) members at Plaskolite manufacture continuous cast acrylic sheet used for spas and baths, as well as clear museum and frame grade acrylic sheet. According to Local 407G President Terry Howard, the plant ramped up production throughout the pandemic to provide acrylic sheets to retail stores, schools,...

01 July, 2021

When Thomasโ€™ English Muffin bakery was built in 1977, it brought good-paying bakery jobs to workers in the Frederick, Maryland area. For more than 40 years, BCTGM Local 68 (Baltimore, Md.) has proudly represented workers at the bakery where union members produce1.8 million packages of Original โ€œNooks & Cranniesโ€ English Muffins per week. Recently, BCTGM International President Anthony Shelton accompanied Local 68 Financial Secretary Gary Oskoian and Business Agent Rodney Lightfoot to the bakery for a tour...

30 June, 2021

โ€œI come from a union family and unionism is in my blood. I am not just a union member โ€“ but I live a union life, through and through. It is who I am.โ€ -Bill Andre, Local 116 (Auburn, N.Y.) Business Agent/Financial Secretary. Andre was born and raised in Auburn, located in Cayuga County on the north end of Owasco Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, in Central New York.  He takes great pride in noting...

21 May, 2021

โ€œI love my job. There is always something that makes my work interesting and challenging. In a way, my job is just an elevated shop steward position. Just like my years as a shop steward, I am helping out union members all day, every day,โ€ concludes Gomez. Sixteen years ago, Rudy Gomez took a job at the Safeway wholesale bread plant and warehouse in Richmond, Calif. and began a union career that would lead him to...

06 May, 2021

The Atlanta-North Georgia Labor Council hosted a โ€œLetโ€™s Get Out the Voteโ€ rally for U.S. Senate candidates Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock outside the Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 613 headquarters in downtown Atlanta on Friday. โ€œWorkers are the folk who make America great,โ€ You are the job creators. Weโ€™ve got to defend a livable wage. It is wrong to call people essential workers and not provide them with essential wages and essential benefits.โ€ - Rev....

16 December, 2020

On November 5, BCTGM Local Unions representing Bimbo Bakeries USA (BBU) facilities in the Southern and Midwest Regions reached agreement on a โ€œpatternโ€ settlement impacting thousands of workers in the bread and cake sector. The new five-year agreement was overwhelmingly ratified by Local 65 (Oklahoma City, Okla.) members at the BBU bakery in Oklahoma City, officially setting it as the wholesale pattern for the industry. Due to the pandemic, only the negotiating committee met in person...

03 December, 2020

In Bloomington, Ill., BCTGM Local 342 members have proudly produced some of America's favorite chocolate candies for 63 years. Union members at the plant negotiated their first collective bargaining agreement in 1957 when they produced Beich's Candy. In 1984, Nestlรฉ acquired the facility and Local 342 members began producing the company's iconic Nestlรฉ Crunch bar, Nestlรฉ Toll House Morsels and other brands owned by Nestlรฉ. Now, Local 342 members will be making chocolate for the...

01 December, 2020

Pro-democracy and equality marchers flooded the streets of Minneapolis in the days following the Presidential election. Local 22 President Wally Borgan, Vice Pres. Matt Ryder and Financial Secretary-Treasurer James Rutten attended a rally and march in downtown Minneapolis. "While some were still celebrating the Biden/Harris victory at the event, the theme of the march was it doesnโ€™t matter who was elected, we need to hold them accountable for needed changes in racial equality, and to...

19 November, 2020

In Cincinnati, BCTGM Local 253 leaders and International Representative Lisa Gregory joined with Cincinnati Federation of Teachers outside the home office of Ohioโ€™s Senator Rob Portman (R) to urge his support for critical pieces of the House-passed HEROES Act in the next COVID-19 relief bill. Click Here to Call Your Senator In the coming days, union members across the country will be attending events designed to hold all senators accountable for passing the strong, comprehensive legislation in...

10 July, 2020

More than 300 families in Hartwell, Ga. are able to feed their families union-made goods thanks to a Local 42 (Atlanta) led COVID-19 community relief effort. Together with Impact Church of Hartwell, the local union wanted to reach members of the community who have been negatively affected by the pandemic. Local 42 represents the maintenance workers at the nearby Nestlรฉ Purina plant. Several workers from the plant volunteered to help distribute the food to hundreds...

22 June, 2020