Local Union News
Representing manufacturing, production, maintenance and sanitation workers in the baking, confectionery, tobacco and grain milling industries.
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Heinen’s Fine Foods is a Cleveland, Ohio based family-owned gourmet grocery store that was established in 1929 by Joe Heinen who opened a small butcher shop on the east side of the city, aiming to establish himself as the city’s purveyor of quality meats.   After his initial success, Heinen added homemade peanut butter, pickles and freshly baked donuts. By 1933, business had grown enough to include a line of produce and canned goods.   Today, the family-owned store...

02 June, 2014

I remained hopeful that this situation would resolve soon for many days, but as these days turned to weeks, and these weeks to months, I am starting to wonder why nobody is listening to my plea. It hurts to be ignored. —Kara Butterfield, 15, daughter of Jeff Butterfield, Local 252G locked out Kellogg worker This morning outside the W.K. Kellogg Foundation headquarters in Battle Creek, Mich., BCTGM Local 252G members illegally locked out by Kellogg in Memphis,...

24 April, 2014

A series of videos were launched today to tell the story of the actions Kellogg is taking against its workers around the globe. While the CEO of The Kellogg Company, John Bryant, gets a pay raise of $8 million and investors get rich with increasing dividend payments and share buybacks, thousands of Kellogg employees and the communities they live in are left devastated and angry.  And while the $14 billion global snack food giant prides itself...

18 March, 2014

Memphis is historically a city that strongly embraces its workers.  Part of that history is the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who came to support Memphis sanitation workers on strike in 1968 when he was assassinated. On January 20, 2014, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, the Memphis community once again displayed support and solidarity with Memphis workers. Specifically, the 220 BCTGM Local 252G members locked out by Kellogg. Hundreds of community and religious activists joined...

22 January, 2014

"There are some upon this earth of yours," returned the Spirit, "who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all out kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us."   -- Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol As the children of locked out members of...

18 December, 2013

In the true holiday spirit of giving, Kellogg workers from Locals 50G in Omaha, Neb. and 3G in Battle Creek, Mich. are in Memphis this week delivering holiday cheer to the children and families of locked out Local 252G members. Yesterday, after an 11 hour drive from Omaha, Local 50G members personally distributed gift cards to more than 100 children of Local 252G members. Today, union members from Battle Creek arrive prepared to give out additional...

18 December, 2013

The holiday baking season is in full swing for BCTGM Local 114 members at the Fred Meyers bakery in Clackamas, Oregon where the union bakers produce hundreds of thousands of loaves, rolls, muffins and bagels daily to prepare for the holiday season. The bakery fills the shelves of more than 500 Fred Meyer stores, QFCs and other Kroger stores in five states. The bread line alone produces 30 different varieties, with most of the ingredients are sourced locally. Check...

05 December, 2013

The following letter was sent from Kellogg Company in Valls (Spain), in a show of solidarity with the locked-out workers in Memphis. [quote] Hello everyone. From the Kellogg Company in Valls (Spain), we want to give maximum support and encouragement to continue with your struggle, which is also ours. Certainly, and unfortunately, Kellogg is losing that much of what has been bragged about for many years. A company with these benefits cannot take this kind of attitude, deceiving the...

02 December, 2013

Last week, Reverend Dwight Montgomery, President of the Memphis Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), sent a letter to Kellogg CEO John Bryant asking him to change his approach with the locked out workers of Local 252G: "This lockout is an unacceptable tactic designed to deprive families of income and medical coverage in an effort to force the changes you seek through the imposition of unwarranted economic duress on those who have served your company...

12 November, 2013

In an October 30th Kellogg Company communication, the company reports the hiring of Edward Thompson as its new Vice President, Global Labor Relations.  Thompson will oversee Kellogg’s Center for Excellence and its initiatives, which is  “…to further improve our labor and employee relationships around the world,” the company states. “It is our hope that the treatment of the Memphis locked out employees is one of Thompson’s first priorities,” said BCTGM International President David B. Durkee.  BCTGM...

05 November, 2013

Join Memphis community groups as we pray for locked out Kellogg's workers and the economic well-being of our community. When?  Thursday, November 7th at 6 p.m. Where?  Corner of N. Airways and Dunn Avenue (in front of Kellogg plant) Click here to download the flier (PDF) ...

04 November, 2013

On Tuesday October 22, 2013 global cereal and snack giant Kellogg Company locked out workers represented by BCTGM Local Union 252G at the company’s Memphis cereal facility. The $14 billion dollar company wants to replace steady, middle-class, full-time jobs with casual, part-time employees who would make significantly lower wages and substandard benefits. This will hurt these working families, the Memphis community, and ultimately, the company. CLICK HERE to download a full Fact Sheet on the situation in...

25 October, 2013

We have built a new section onto our website just for you – the BCTGM Stewards Corner. The job of a steward is one of the most challenging, most rewarding and most important jobs in our union.  That’s because union stewards are on the front lines of our fight to develop a strong, active union in the workplace. Stewards have an enormous impact on our members’ faith and belief in the union. The steward is the one...

22 August, 2013

The Panera baker’s story affects everyone in America who cares about their right to stand up for themselves at work: More than a year since they voted to form a union, Panera workers in Michigan are still waiting. The franchisee that owns the Panera Bread stores in the region refused to recognize the BCTGM as the official representative of the bakers and refused to meet to bargain a first contract.  The NLRB found that Panera broke...

19 June, 2013

BCTGM represented bakers can be found in Safeway bakeries from coast to coast. From intricately decorated cakes for every special occasion, to delectable fruit pies and gourmet cookies, the union bakers take pride in the products they provide. Featured here are the dedicated and proud bakers of Local 85 (Sacramento, Calif.) in Safeway bakeries in Fairfield and Sacramento, California. [caption id="attachment_3230" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Debra Colvin decorates a special order cake at the Fairfield bakeryKristopher Brady (left) and Kent...

03 May, 2013