Wells' Dairy workers reject new contract
By Dave Dreeszen ddreeszen@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Saturday, October 11, 2008
LE MARS, Iowa -- By a narrow margin, hourly workers at Wells' Dairy's ice cream plants in Le Mars have rejected a new two-year contract, the company said late Friday afternoon.
Wells' spokesman Dave Smetter would not provide the vote totals, other than to say the margin was "very close.'' The company also did not release details of the tentative deal, negotiated by company managers and an employee committee.
In a prepared statement, Wells' expressed disappointment in the outcome of the vote, which was conducted Wednesday through Friday.
"The company negotiated in good faith with the Employees' Committee and believed that the proposed agreement addressed the significant issues that both parties felt were important,'' the company said in the statment. "It is the intent of Wells' Dairy to strengthen its competitive edge moving forward, creating greater job security, stability and sustainability for our employees and the community.''
Looking ahead, Wells' said it is "committed to resuming negotiations" with the employees committee, but did not spell out a timetable for a new round of talks.
About 1,200 of the eligible 1,400 hourly workers cast ballots, Smetter said. The local employee committee represents hourly workers at two ice cream plants, a freezer and a warehouse in Le Mars, the self-proclaimed Ice Cream Capital of the World.
It was the second consecutive setback in an employee vote for the makers of Blue Bunny ice cream and frozen novelties.
In March, by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent, hourly workers rejected a negotiated deal that would have trimmed about $5 million in pay and benefits out of the final year of the current three year contract, which expires Dec. 31.
Wells' spokesman Dave Smetter would not provide the vote totals, other than to say the margin was "very close.'' The company also did not release details of the tentative deal, negotiated by company managers and an employee committee.
In a prepared statement, Wells' expressed disappointment in the outcome of the vote, which was conducted Wednesday through Friday.
"The company negotiated in good faith with the Employees' Committee and believed that the proposed agreement addressed the significant issues that both parties felt were important,'' the company said in the statment. "It is the intent of Wells' Dairy to strengthen its competitive edge moving forward, creating greater job security, stability and sustainability for our employees and the community.''
Looking ahead, Wells' said it is "committed to resuming negotiations" with the employees committee, but did not spell out a timetable for a new round of talks.
About 1,200 of the eligible 1,400 hourly workers cast ballots, Smetter said. The local employee committee represents hourly workers at two ice cream plants, a freezer and a warehouse in Le Mars, the self-proclaimed Ice Cream Capital of the World.
It was the second consecutive setback in an employee vote for the makers of Blue Bunny ice cream and frozen novelties.
In March, by a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent, hourly workers rejected a negotiated deal that would have trimmed about $5 million in pay and benefits out of the final year of the current three year contract, which expires Dec. 31.
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lll wrote on Oct 12, 2008 8:46 AM:
ken larsen wrote on Oct 12, 2008 12:21 AM: