FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2019
Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259
OVER 500 IOWA CEREAL WORKERS WIN WITH RWDSU
(CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA): On January 9, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union’s (RWDSU) Local 110, announced that the workers at General Mills’ production facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa voted to join the RWDSU in their fight for a voice and fair treatment in the workplace, as well as needed paid time off and fair wages through a collective bargaining agreement. Workers finally have a right to fair representation, a seat at the table and a real chance to stop the bleed out of their long-held benefits.
“We’re proud to welcome the workers of General Mills into the union. Once again, they show that the best way for working people to protect themselves and their families is the join together in a union,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President, Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
“We’re extremely happy for the vote these courageous workers took today and that they believed in making their voices heard for change and we’re equally honored they believed in RWDSU, Local 110 to represent them. We also look forward to begin building a positive working relationship with the company and the continuance of good paying full time jobs in Cedar Rapids for many years to come,” said Roger Grobstich, Vice President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
“I’m proud to say I’m now part of the RWDSU and I know everyone who works alongside me knows that representation from the union will change our future here. It’s about time General Mills workers had a real seat at the table with the company and we’re ready to get to work on a fair contract,” said Tim Sarver, General Mills worker.
The vote to unionize by workers at General Mills was conducted on January 9, 2019 during two NLRB election sessions. RWDSU will represent approximately 520 workers at the manufacturing facility in contract negotiations. The workers in the bargaining unit handle production, sanitation and maintenance at the facility. General Mills’ workers joined Local 110 of the RWDSU, which also represents workers across town at the Quaker facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
