LOCK OUT: Labor Board Agrees It Is Not a Strike
A Help Wanted ad going out in Sunday newspapers.
The Lock Out at Dichello Distributors continues. The labor dispute began on March 10, when union workers reported for work and found they were locked out.
On Wednesday, April 6, a Dichello delivery truck pulled off of I-95 with two side louvre doors open. This kind of mistake could have resulted in beer bottles or cans or a hand truck falling out onto the highway.
The union employees yelled, "you're fired!" at the temporary worker as he drove through the picket line.
Also on Wednesday, six union representatives on their way to New Hampshire from New Jersey, stopped by to show their support.
The Teamsters seem to be getting increased support from the community with food and drink donations. Yesterday, someone sent more than a dozen pizzas to the picket line.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro stopped by on March 24 and told the men she would do whatever she could. Since, the state labor board has agreed that this is a lock out (although the company has sent letters to customers stating that the workers are on strike) and at least one of the union employees has begun getting unemployment checks.
Still, the company seems to be unwilling to negotiate with the union. Dichello hired a negotiator, Chris Thomas, who allegedly helped Star Distributors of West Haven oust its union, and last Friday, it informed the picketing workers that their jobs will be up for grabs in the Help Wanted section of this Sunday's newspapers.
"We're holding strong," said union driver Dave Molster. "We held up our end of the bargain. All we want to do is get back to work."
Roy Green
1:47 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2011
It appears from the letter, that the company just wants to breakup the union.
They say that the current pension fund is underfunded, are we supposed to take their word for it?
How does it help people with years in the pension by switching them to a 401k, especially the drivers with 20+ years and close to retirement?
How does the company health care compare to what they have now?
Where are the facts in the letter? Does it help the workers?
Sounds like corporate greed, but I will wait to hear from the company before I make a final judgment.
Mark
10:32 am on Friday, April 8, 2011
all lies you cant believe anything this man says he has had a Union busting firm in line for more then a year and has trained its Non Union employees to do the work of the Union employees and in some cases had the Union men train them. His offer is far less then the contract that they were working under for the past 12 years. Which it should be noted is all they want!!! he says that the industry is dominated by non union distributors But Don't Ask About the other big Distributor Hartford distributors its a Budweiser distributor and has a Teamster union in place The men will Gladly take that contract too!! He Made his Last and final offer But it was his only offer its one thing if the company is not making any money But that's not the case this company is making good money and is offering to build a 71 million dollar train Station on its property using its on company money. No Mr. CEO this is all Corporate greed