boone Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 Being in this industry, I try to keep close (inside scoop) to what goes on in each distillery. I know enough folks, to keep up on what is happening in each distillery. Some things follow suit...and then, some things don't. Heaven Hill, has been on overtime for nearly a month. I expect this to continue until well after Christmas. Last week, Jim Beam laid off the bottling house on Friday. They were told that it will be a "let you know" kinda thing. The union requires a posting a few days in advance before they can do that. If it's not posted legal "on the board" then everyone works. Barton's "contract" expires this year...I am talking about the contract between the company and it's work force. UFCW--United Food and Comercial Worker's Union. Theirs is a four year contract, ours is a five year contract. Heaven Hill's contract expires next Sept. 11, 2005... We ususally get a "copy" of their (Barton's, Jim Beam---I think I still have Jim Beam's proposal from thier last contract---somewhere ) proposal. We know that all of the (distilleries) kinda follow each other. Barton's contract, will sometimes refelct what Heaven Hill might consider trying to do to us. Here's just a tad bit that threw me for a loop...Barton's offered their union workforce .75 cents hourly raise for the first two years...the last two...Well get this, they take away .50 cents...Yeah right...If the contract passes on first vote there will be a 750 dollar bonus... Hmmmmmmm...I'd know exactly what they could do with that money...and it ain't puttin' it where the sun shines... Bettye Jo UFCW Local 23D member Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BourbonitisBlues Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 With all of the attention focused on image making in the bourbon industry......you know, the picturesque distilleries, the serene country settings, the craft of the Master Distiller, the family recipes carefully passed from one generation to the next, it is easy to forget about the men and women in the trenches. Men and women who go to work in the factory everyday, standing on the bottling line or hefting barrels around the warehouse. Working hard for a weekily paycheck to pay the mortgage, the car payment and clothes for the kids. We should remember these folks the next time we raise a glass of their fine product to our lips. Good luck to you all.BourbonitisBlues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 23, 2004 Share Posted June 23, 2004 How many members are there in UFCW Local 23D? I'm guessing the "D" stands for distillery and this local is 100 percent distillery workers, yes? Would I also be correct in assuming that most distillery employees work in the bottling house and jobs related to it, such as yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Our union UFCW represents alot of different workers. It's not restricted to just disitllery workers. In our local there are 4, Heaven Hill, Four Roses, Barton's and Inoac. Inoac makes little perfume bottles for Clinique and Channel. Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 So Beam is a different local? A different union? Or are they non-union? And if so, how did that happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 Beam's work force, is UFCW union strong. Different local, but the same union... Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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