Teamsters Union workers continue to strike in the absence of a new labor deal. One worker says the strikers have seen food being delivered in unrefrigerated trucks since the start of the strike.
WARNERS, N.Y. (NCC News) – Teamsters union workers at the Sysco distribution center will strike for as long as it takes to get a new deal, said union steward Keith Hubbard.
“The company said that they were going to take care of us and they failed to do so. The members here have had it. So we’ve walked the line. We had to draw the line eventually,” said Hubbard.
On Tuesday evening, 200 workers began picketing outside of the site. They’ve been working without a labor agreement since August 19.
“Workers are like look – enough. They’re tired of it. They’re tired of unfair treatment and [Sysco] abusing these workers and we need to make sure they live up to the corporation they say that they are,” said Syracuse Labor Council president Mark Spadafore.
Sysco is a major food provider to local hospitals, nursing homes and restaurants, amongst other places.
While the company is continuing to find solutions in order to keep delivering food, those solutions may not be the safest.
Multiple strikers said they’d seen unrefrigerated trucks delivering food products such as raw meat and eggs, then leaving them out in the back of pickup trucks to be picked up later in the day.
Sysco did release a statement, saying in part, “Sysco Syracuse offered wage increases that would place our associates at or above market, along with a $2,500 signing bonus, comprehensive health, and welfare benefits, and paid time off.”
But, despite that offer, there seems to be no end to the strike in sight.
Learn more by watching the video.
Transcript
MARK SPADAFORE: This is really about Sysco not following the collective bargaining agreement that was agreed upon. They’re not being fair to these workers and I’m here to support these workers because their fight is everybody’s fight.
KEVIN MITCHELL: Sysco workers continue to strike outside the Warners supply center. Their Teamsters union has been out of contract since august twentieth.
KEITH HUBBARD: The company said that they were going to take care of us and they failed to do so. The members here have had it. So we’ve walked the line. We had to draw the line eventually.
MITCHELL: As union steward – Hubbard has a seat at the table to fight for his coworkers. They worked through the pandemic with the promise of a better contract next time up – that hasn’t happened yet.
HUBBARD: We were promised better wages when the upcoming contract went because we were essential employees showing up every day. These guys have just had it. They’re working 12 to 14 hours a day.
MITCHELL: The strike hits at food supplies for local hospitals – colleges – and restaurants. Strikes at Sysco supply centers have been happening nationally – from Arizona to Baltimore.
SPADAFORE: Workers are like look – enough. They’re tired of it. They’re tired of unfair treatment and they’re abusing these workers and we need to make sure they live up to the corporation they say that they are.