Posts Categorized: Food Processing

On Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, production and distribution workers at the Home Chef facility in Bedford Park, Ill., voted to join UFCW Local 1546. Home Chef is a Kroger-owned meal-kit delivery and prepared foods provider.

Following a successful four-month organizing campaign, this organizing win provides union representation for over 450 workers ranging in occupations from all full- and part-time Gatekeepers; Production Associates; Laborers; Environmental Health and Safety Leads; Forklift Operators; Pallet-Jack Operators; Reach Truck Operators: Machine Operators; Quality Control; Runners; Sanitation Workers; Training Leads; Production Associates; Warehouse Associates; Shipping and Receiving Associates; Inventory control Associates; and Shift Leads employed by Home Chef at the Bedford Park facility.

Home Chef prepared food products are sold under the brand name in thousands of Kroger retail locations nationwide and locally in Mariano’s grocery stores. Its highly popular and profitable meal-kits are available for purchase online.

“Workers at this Chicago-based location came together to seek better working conditions, higher pay, improved benefits, along with management accountability,” said UFCW Local 1546 Organizing Director Carlos Cartagena. “We listened carefully to the workers’ concerns and relied heavily on a strategic mobile organizing approach; a strong sense of unity among co-workers; and workers learning from past lessons of failed corporate promises and divisive rhetoric.”

“We welcome Home Chef workers in Chicago to the UFCW Local 1546 union family,” said International Vice President and UFCW Local 1546 President Bob O’Toole. “We’re looking forward to building a better life together as a union. Now more than ever, it is important to join together in the workplace and form a union to protect, defend and build upon our rights in the workplace.”

Over 30 members of UFCW Local 27 who work at the Ralph and Paul Adams, Inc. (RAPA) Scrapple facility in Bridgeville, Del., ratified a new contract on May 25. These workers produce scrapple and sausages at the facility.

The four-year contract includes significant hourly wage increases ranging from a minimum of $1.35 to $3.35 an hour and $3.15 to $5.15 hourly wage increases for the term of the contract. The contract maintains affordable health care for the workers with no increase in employee percentages. The contract also includes a new bonus incentive for attendance, including four vacation hours a month for no days missed, allowing members to accrue six extra vacation days a year. In addition, the contract allows union representatives and stewards to participate in weekly safety committee meetings at the facility.

This contract was an important win for this unit, and members began chanting “union, union!” in the cafeteria after the ratification took place. UFCW Local 27 has represented workers at this facility for over 40 years.

“UFCW Local 27 is honored to have stood strong with the workers at RAPA and secured a contract that recognizes their hard work and dedication,” said UFCW Local 27 President Jason Chorpenning. “We remain committed to fighting for fair wages, affordable health care, and safe working conditions for all our members.”