Unionized employees at a meals recycling plant in Hodgkins walked off the task Monday, bringing up problems about pay and protection they stated had been unaddressed within the corporate’s “best and final” contract be offering.
The individuals of Local 881 of the United Food and Commercial Workers started picketing out of doors the regional operation of ReConserve, an organization based totally in Santa Monica, California, that reprocesses bread, cereal grains and snacks into farm animals feed. The strikers stated they’re paid lower than different firms be offering for similar jobs and that prerequisites on the plant have worsened since July, when a fireplace destroyed a ReConserve plant in Terre Haute, Indiana, and paintings used to be despatched to Hodgkins.
The union’s bargaining unit accommodates 28 other people and virtually all are supporting the strike, stated Nick Morrissey, consultant for Local 881. He stated negotiations for the first-time contract began in July 2019 and the corporate has carried out little to reply to employees’ grievances. No talks are scheduled, he stated.
Angel Vazquez, the overall supervisor of the Hodgkins web page, declined to remark in regards to the strike however stated the plant continues to serve as with a small team of nonunion team of workers. ReConserve President David Luskin didn’t right away go back a message.
“One of the reasons we’re doing this is we’re tired of being mistreated,” stated Edwin Arroyo, of Crete, a senior repairs mechanic at ReConserve. He stated he should “crawl around like a monkey” on apparatus with out ok protection harnesses. Arroyo additionally stated the corporate doesn’t give you the proper mask or goggles to give protection to employees from a positive powder produced by way of the recycling.
He stated he’s been injured two times at paintings however ordered to proceed gentle accountability.
Morrissey stated the employees joined Local 881 after no longer receiving a basic elevate since September 2017. He stated the team of workers will get hourly charges of between $14 and $30, relying at the task tasks, and the union has proven the pay is underneath different firms’ marketed charges.
Local media reviews stated the July hearth destroyed ReConserve’s Terre Haute plant.
The staff struck with the beef up of Arise Chicago, a gaggle that unites hard work and spiritual organizations round office justice.