Union Works Swiftly to Secure First Contract at Standard Coffee
Members Ratify Agreement with Bonuses, Raises, Job Protections
After only three negotiation meetings with management, Teamsters Local 727 representatives have secured an agreement on a strong first contract for Standard Coffee members.
The majority of the contract matches or exceeds the provisions in the contracts for Hinckley Springs inside and outside workers, which Teamsters Local 727 also represents. Standard Coffee is a division of Hinckley Springs.
It has been more than three years since the Standard Coffee warehouse workers, sales promotion coordinators and commissioned workers voted to join Teamsters Local 710, which went into trusteeship in July 2014. Local 727 took over the bargaining unit this summer and swiftly took charge of contract negotiations.
“These workers have been in limbo for far too long, so the local union worked as quickly and as diligently as possible get this done,” said John Coli Jr., President of Local 727. “We listened to our members’ demands, and the result is a solid first agreement that demonstrates the power of a union contract.”
The agreement, which Standard Coffee members unanimously ratified on Oct. 12, includes signing bonuses, raises, more paid time off and job protections such as a grievance procedure, seniority and non-discrimination clauses. The grievance procedure also improves upon that in the Hinckley contracts to ensure quicker results. The two-year contract expires May 17, 2017, to coincide with the Hinckley inside workers’ contract expiration.
Teamsters Local 727 represents more than 9,000 hardworking men and women, including nearly 2,000 beverage industry members, throughout the Chicago area.
Category: BEVERAGE
