On December 30, 2011 Local 22 members employed by Baldinger Baking Company ratified a new five year working agreement with the Company.

 

This has been an ongoing and painstakingly slow process which started back when the original agreement expired in May of 2010. Several months before the expiration Company Management informed Local Union leadership that major changes would be taking place at the facility, most importantly: THERE WOULD BE A NEW FACILITY! The Company would be breaking ground on a new facility in the Phalen Park area of St. Paul. This was to be a state of the art highly automated system producing buns for the Company’s chain of fast food customers.

 

The plan was to keep the old facility at Eva Street producing product for their variety side customers all the while focusing on new Plant operations. In terms of negotiating a Labor Agreement neither Management nor the Union had a strong desire in bargaining for a long term agreement at that time as there were too many unknowns. An agreement was made to extend the current provisions with some economic improvements for the members to May of 2011. At that time the Company and Union expected the new Plant to be operational and more would be known about new job descriptions, needed skills, hours of operation and the other incidentals important to bargaining. Negotiations for a longer term agreement began in May of 2011 but as there were still challenges with the start up for the new plant another extension were agreed to. In the meantime the old Plant on Eva Street closed causing some layoffs and bumping rights to ensue. In October of 2011 conditions were stabilizing and bargaining began in earnest once again.

 

The tentative agreement provided for:

 

·         A new schedule of work classifications and job descriptions.

 

·         New training programs.

 

·         Modifications in job bidding and bumping.

 

·         A new method for accruing vacation time.

 

·         Health and Welfare; the Employer agreed to make increased contributions to fund the health and welfare benefit.

 

·         The agreement provided for wage and pension increases for the term of the contract.

 

The members voted to accept the new agreement. The Officers would like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the membership for their patience and especially those who served on the negotiating committee; Matt Ryder, Alfredo Lopez, and Fidencio Ramirez.