Broughton Foods Pact Brings Improvements in Ohio (3/19/09)

The negotiating committee at Broughton Foods.

RWDSU Local 379 members in Marietta, Ohio, are already enjoying the benefits of a new contract that improves wages and substantially increases a number of benefits for employees at Broughton Foods, a division of Deans Foods. The five-year contract was ratified on February 6. There are 120 Local 379 members employed at the plant.

Workers at the dairy plant will see wages increase each year of the agreement, and will receive an increase in their pension benefits. In addition, longevity bonuses will increase the hourly pay of workers who stay on the same job for 30 months, and again at the next 30 months. A double-time provision enables employees to earn double pay for every additional hour worked past 54 hours.

“This is a huge, since we have some people who work up to 70 hours,” said RWDSU Representative Rick Marshall. “This will result in a big increase in pay for these members.”