NEW: Teamsters to Picket Eat Drink RI Over Daniele Foods
Saturday, May 02, 2015
GoLocalProv News Team
Members and supporters of Teamsters Local 251 are picketing the Eat Drink RI Festival in Providence on Saturday over Daniele Foods -- who was supposed to take part in the event as a Gold Sponsor but has pulled out in light of the protest.
The Teamsters Local 251, who had organized the shipping and receiving departments in March, said they had continued concerns about labor conditions at the Pascoag facility
"Now Daniele Foods is under investigation by the National Labor Relations Board for retaliating against employees who organized for fair treatment and voted to join the Teamsters Union. Daniele Foods has suspended three workers who voted to join the union and retaliated against other union supporters by cutting their hours. Eight separate unfair labor practice charges are under investigation," wrote the Teamsters of their Facebook page
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Issues at Hand
Daniele provided comment on Friday regarding the picket -- and decision to back out of the event.
"The Eat Drink RI festival is a celebration of Rhode Island’s farmers, fishermen, and food and beverage artisans. It also raises a lot of money for the Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School and the Rhode Island Community Food Bank. Daniele declined to participate this year out of concern that our presence would have been a distraction to this worthwhile event," said Daniele Foods in a statement. "Our commitment to buying locally raised pork from small New England family farms has never been stronger. Our family business has been part of the Rhode Island community for 40 years and we treasure our workers and our state. Daniele remains a proud sponsor of the Eat Drink RI festival and the programs it supports."
The Teamsters Local 251 said that the protest, which is taking place from 12 to 4 P.M. in the park across from the Biltmore, is for "informational purposes..it is is not a request that anyone cease working or refuse to make deliveries."
"Daniele Foods took in more than $135 million in revenue last year," wrote the Teamsters. "But many workers at Daniele Foods make an average of $12 per hour, have no paid sick or personal days, have no retirement plan, and pay $2,340 to $3,380 per year for health coverage
Rhode Island supported Daniele Foods when it asked for help building its new facility. It’s time for Daniele Foods to work with Rhode Island and stop butchering good jobs.
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