Wilbur union files National Labor Relations Board charge

Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era

Jul 01, 2009 00:03 EST

Lititz

By CINDY STAUFFER, Staff Writer

The Wilbur Chocolate workers' union has filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board against Cargill Inc., the owner of the Lititz plant.

Chocolate Workers Local 464, which represents hourly workers at the plant, recently filed the charge against the company for allegedly negotiating in bad faith, said the union's business agent Bruce Hummel.

The bad faith charge relates to the company's implementation of a three-year contract, without the union's OK, that cut wages by 45 percent for about 60 percent of the plant's workers, cut overtime wages and changed the way overtime is worked, Hummel said.

The workers, who are in a two-year contract dispute, are waiting for their international union's vice president to give them permission to strike.

At the same time, the FBI continues to investigate an incident in which glass was found in chocolate at the plant.

The incident, which temporarily shut down the plant, occurred earlier this month, a week after Cargill implemented the pay cuts.

FBI Special Agent J.J. Klaver said the investigation is ongoing.

Hummel said the FBI is asking some workers to take polygraph tests and some have volunteered to do so.

E-mail: cstauffer@lnpnews.com