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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015
Ridley Feed, Inc Overwhelming approve New Teamster Contract in Mendota, Illinois
Local 722 Members of Ridley Feed, Inc., a subsidiary of Alltech, Inc. reached Agreement on a new three year contract effective November 1, 2015.
After 5 days of negotiations, the last with a federal mediator, talks broke down with the Company giving its last, best and final offer. The Company's negotiator refused to disclose future amounts of insurance costs and increases. The members realized that it was very difficult to negotiate pay increases without knowing the future insurance costs. The members voted to reject the contract by a vote of 32 to 11.
The following day, third shift refused to show up for work and the Strike began. The next morning first shift set up a picket line with all members participating. By mid-afternoon, Local 722's Secretary-Treasurer and Business Agent, Frank Barger, received a call from Michael Hudspith, Ridley's President of Operations, asking for a meeting on the following morning. Barger agreed.
Within 2 hours a tentative agreement was worked out and a ratification vote was taken. The offer was overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 40 to 4. By the start of second shift everyone was back to work.
A big THANK YOU and job well done goes out to ALL the members at Ridley and to President Steve Mongan and Vice President Robert Sheridan for all their help and support.
Local 722 Negotiates New Contract to End Day and a Half Strike, Settle Contract Dispute