Union sues Mondelez over layoffs, claims discrimination

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Chicago Tribune

By Greg Trotter

Mondelez International's plan to lay off 600 workers at the old Nabisco plant on Chicago's Southwest Side is discriminatory and violates a collective bargaining agreement, according to a lawsuit and related grievances filed by the plant's largest union in federal court this week.

The lawsuit is the latest attempt by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers to stanch the loss of jobs at the longtime bakery. In July, Mondelez announced it would cut 600 of the 1,200 jobs as it moves some of its operations to a facility in Salinas, Mexico. Earlier this week, Mondelez gave the 60-day notice required by state law to 277 of those workers.

With its lawsuit, the bakers' union is hoping to force binding arbitration of its grievances before any jobs are cut. The union has said it would fight the layoffs in advance of upcoming contract negotiations, even as the plant's other two unions already have negotiated a shutdown package with Mondelez.

"You don't go into a fight already defeated in your mind," Ed Burpo, president of BCTGM Local 300, said in an interview this week.

FULL story at link.

Read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-mondelez-bakers-lawsuit-0123-biz-20160122-story.html

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NAFTA strikes again and TPP is ready to go.

[silvershadow]

1. NAFTA does indeed strike again. I remember when that passed with the support of the

Bill Clinton administration. Of course, I remember well when Ross Perot warned in 92 what the plan was. We still have a lot of that Third Way in the party.