BUFFALO, N.Y. — Workers at Milk-Bone are winning broad support as their six-week strike continues. The 165 members of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 36G walked out Oct. 28 in a fight for solid wage increases and against the company’s proposal to impose a much more expensive health care plan. Milk-Bone, a dog treat producer, is owned by the J.M. Smucker Company, which posted sales of over $8 billion last year from their mostly nonunion workforce.
“The fact that we are striking today shows how upset we are,” Sandra Woodward told this Militant worker-correspondent on the picket line Dec. 8. Woodward is called “number one,” by her fellow workers because of her seniority — she started working in the plant in 1975. Woodward has never been on strike in her 49 years there.
“I’ve never seen this kind of solidarity in the union before. Almost everyone came to the strike vote, same on the contract vote,” she said. “We turned down two contract offers, the second offer was worse than the first one. I think the company is trying to get rid of the union.
“We have to take care of the next generation,” Woodward explained. “The people in the past took care of us. At one point the company tried to sell us on a two-tier contract. We said no. You can’t have someone working next to you who’s making $10 an hour less than you forever. Me, I have no skin in the game, but I’m part of this fight.”
Solidarity keeps arriving. “Some 25 members of the United Auto Workers from a number of locals came in solidarity this week,” said Steve Palumbo, chief shop steward.
“We see the importance of this strike for us,” Art Neal, a UAW Local 686 officer at the nearby Lockport General Motors radiator plant, told the Militant by phone. “Every union has to stick together. We’ve been to the Milk-Bone strike three times so far. This past week we brought grocery store gift cards and tents. Being on strike is hard. They need a lot of support.”
Melissa Straubel, executive board chairman of BCTGM Local 81, and Shantel Myers, the local’s recording secretary, drove nine hours from Traverse City, Michigan, to bring a carload of supplies for the Milk-Bone picket line in late November. Both women work at a Sara Lee industrial bakery.
“I read about the strike on Facebook,” Straubel told the Militant by phone. “I told my board, ‘They can use our help, let’s send them a care package.’ Our president said, ‘No, we should send them people and supplies.’ Shantel and I volunteered right away to go.
“What they are facing we are facing too. We’re just trying to support our families and have a decent life. The company we work for is going after our health care,” Straubel said. “We have long hours, double shifts, different shifts. Our contract is up in December next year and the company is watching the Milk-Bone strike. Our local is now working on a raffle to raise money for the strikers.”
A big issue is health care costs. Striker Francisco Rivera said that with a family and two kids, he would have to pay thousands of dollars in deductibles before insurance started paying the bills. “I showed it to my wife, and she said, ‘That’s got to be the worst in the country!’”
“We’re out here for the long haul,” striker Hunter Winch said. “We’re fighting for a future.” Factory management and scabs are working 12-hour days in the struck plant, but “the company warehouse is close to empty. There are few products on hand and very few loaded trucks coming out of the plant.”
The BCTGM international put out a flyer describing how you can help. Everyone is encouraged to join the picket line or drop off food, drinks or supplies at 243 Urban Street in Buffalo. Donations to the strike fund are needed. Make checks payable to BCTGM International Union and write “Local 36G Strike Fund” in the memo line. Send it to the BCTGM at 10401 Connecticut Ave., 4th Floor, Kensington, MD 20895. Help spread the word about the strike.