Mott’s Juice Plant Strike: Profitable Company Wants Wage Cut, End Of Pensions For New Hires

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/13571

Submitted by Doug Cunningham on May 24, 2010 - 2:49pm
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Workers at a Mott’s apple juice plant have gone on strike due to a request by the company to accept wage cuts that will set some workers back four years. Jesse Russell reports:

Proposed wage and benefit reductions have workers at a Mott’s juice plant in New York State walking the picket lines. The more than 300 workers at the Williamson, New York plant walked off the job Sunday over disagreements regarding a proposal by the company to cut wages by $1.50 per hour and ending pensions for future employees. The company is owned by Dr. Pepper Snapple Group which the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union local 220 says posted a $555 million profit last year and CEO Larry Young is paid more than $7 million per year. The plant is the only one in the United States that produces Mott’s applesauce and utilizes millions of bushels of apples grown in Western New York. In order to keep the production lines moving the company has brought in temporary workers and workers from other Dr Pepper Snapple plants. The company said it is making the cuts because workers at the plant are paid more than the average paid to plant workers in the region.

[left is right]

1. I hate this; now I am obligated to not use Mott’s products

and they make an apple juice with less sugar, It's the only one I use for my grandson