Members of Local 777, who manufacture cereal, were initially relieved when Post Consumer Brands bought their facility in the middle of the last contract. Unfortunately, due to mismanagement, morale at the plant had reached an all-time low by the time the contract campaign began.
“We thought Post would know how to take care of a plant, but they’re the worst yet,” said bargaining committee member John Appleton, who has worked there for 28 years under four different corporate owners. Despite Post's stated values to “do right” and “bring joy” and a record-breaking $314,600,000 in profits in 2022, the company’s initial economic proposals contained no raises and serious concessions that would have taken away much of what members had worked their whole lives for. “The proposals made me sick! They just want to take and take,” said Recording Secretary Donna Colvin. Despite difficulties, the committee is used to working long hours to help Post “win as one,” and they brought the same tireless spirit and teamwork to bargaining.
With long days (and nights) at the table, new efforts to engage the membership, and improved solidarity relationships with other unions at Post facilities, the committee defended the existing contract and won improvements on issues the membership ranked most important in the bargaining survey. The union won an increase in the starting rate, better wages in the new-hire progression, and classification-rate raises of 3.5 percent in the first year and 2.5 percent each in the second and third years. Funeral leave will increase from three days to five days that can be taken in two separate blocks. The vacation progression has been shortened so employees accumulate additional vacation time every five years. Safety boot and glasses allowances were also improved.
Keeping the membership updated.
The company attempted to eliminate the provision of medical, dental, and vision insurance during long-term disability from the contract, offering members already struggling with severe injury or illness and lost wages only an exorbitantly expensive self-paid COBRA. After receiving this insulting proposal, Local 777 President Mike Watts called Ted Hunt, the president of RWDSU Local 374 at Post’s facility in Battle Creek, Michigan. Hunt told him about RWDSU members who had suffered from lack of insurance during long-term disability there: long-time union members who died because they could no longer afford chemotherapy and oxygen treatments.
Chief Steward Mike Hyme told Post at the bargaining table, “We give most of our lives to this company, and as soon as we’re too sick or hurt to work, you want to kick us out the door and down the road. Is that how you’d want someone to treat your family?” The company eventually withdrew the proposal and made no changes to the improved health insurance won in the last contract negotiations. The committee’s ability to unite and fight for health insurance will make a life-saving difference to some members. President Watts said, “I felt like the committee stood their ground well on what members needed them to keep.”
Members of Canadian unions who also work for Post do not have to bargain over health insurance because Canada has a publicly-funded healthcare system, but their solidarity and experience with Post was also helpful to Local 777. Over Zoom, members of Unifor Local 1101 explained how they fought off concessions in Niagara last year. UFCW Canada Local 175 in Cobourg and UE Local 777 learned that their plants were much alike (despite the Company’s insistence that each was unique) ahead of both unions’ contract fights, which helped everyone gain perspective on how much the Company is willing to lie. As a result of these discussions and additional research, Local 777 significantly improved anti-discrimination language in their contract to protect members with medical issues, members who may have been vulnerable to identity-based discrimination, and veterans.
The bargaining committee also spent a day drafting a counter-proposal to flesh out the company’s poorly thought-out proposal on cross-training, ensuring that seniority was respected and members who transfer out of their department will maintain classification rate pay. The union’s willingness to create new opportunities for members while also maintaining the flexibility to meet business needs shows how much members value their jobs and strive to improve their workplace. Local 777 gained organizational strength during the course of this difficult fight and continues to build their union. On the day the contract was ratified by the membership, Chief Steward Hyme said, “If we’re bargaining three years from now and Post is still trying to put their hands in my pocket because they can’t figure out how else to make the plant profitable, every manager in the plant should be fired.”
The Local 777 bargaining committee consisted of President Mike Watts, Chief Steward Mike Hyme, Vice President Craig Davisson, Recording Secretary Donna Colvin, and committee members John Appleton, Mike Pierce, and Tim Stickdorn. They were assisted by UE Staff Coordinator Kim Lawson and Field Organizer Heather Hillenbrand.