Yoplait Contract Actively Cultures Wage and Benefit Improvements (7/16/07)

The RWDSU Local 386 members who work at Yoplait USA in Reed City, Michigan, run a productive plant. Producing up to 11 million cases of yogurt per month is hard work, but the 350 RWDSU members there take pride in knowing their efforts make it the largest and most productive Yoplait plant in the country. Members at the plant recently ratified a new four-year contract that reflects their hard work at the plant.

The new agreement protects members' no-contribution health care plan. Improvements are highlighted by a 3 percent wage increase each year of the contract, along with a $2,000 signing bonus for each worker. Employees with 7 years of service or more will receive an extra week of vacation, and the monthly pension benefit has been increased $1 per year of service. Sick leave benefits are going up, and the agreement creates a longevity bonus of $500 at 25 years and $1000 at 30 years.

"Local 386 members at Yoplait work hard and are extremely productive, and this is the kind of contract they deserve," said Tim Ferguson, a Local 386 Representative who helped negotiate the contract. "The plant is doing so well that Yoplait is about to invest $35 million into the plant, which will bring an additional 50 members into the union."