Mott's worker Ira "Bud" Bristol asks Dr. Pepper Snapple CEO Larry Young (seated at right) why the company is trying to decimate wages and benefits at Mott's despite huge profits.

RWDSU Local 125 members deliver Coca-Cola products from the bottler in St. Joseph, Missouri, to locations throughout the area. Earlier this month, the route drivers there ratified a new three-year contract that raises wages 2.5 percent every year of the contract. It also increases pension benefits, and weekly disability pay. The contract will improve the safety shoe allowance, vacation eligibility, the dental plan, and provide drivers with the opportunity to further increase pay by improving base and commission weekly rates.

The contract was overwhelmingly approved.

Members of the RWDSU staged a protest today against Mr. Larry Young, President and CEO of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group during his address at the the Goldman Sachs Consumer Products Symposium.   The RWDSU has been trying to reach a fair contract for their members working at the Mott's manufacturing plant outside of Rochester, NY for months.  Mott's is a subsidiary of the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. To date, Mott’s executives have offered only hurtful cuts to wages, pensions and healthcare benefits as well as givebacks despite the fact that the company remains very profitable.

“I watched grown men break down and cry after the announcement,” said Bruce Lawrence, who worked in maintenance and as a forklift operator for 38 years at the National Grocers warehouse in Sudbury, Ontario.

“People were just in shock,” said Dennis Grattone, who worked at the Sudbury warehouse for 12 years and supports three children. “I don’t know how I’m going to make it.”

UFCW VP/Executive Assistant to the President Christyne Neff and RWDSU Organizer Joseph Dorismond  (right) present a donation check to Dr. Rodrigue Mortel, founder of the Mortel Family Foundation.

Franklin Services workers in Columbus, Ohio, overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year agreement with good wage increases, increases in health care benefits at no cost to the employees, and a restructuring of the commission program that allows Local 379 members to make more money each week. The company will also increase its contributions to the RWDSU Pension.

Members at Franklin Services work vending machine routes, stocking up the machines with product.

Workers at Fort Lee library ratified a new four-year contract with their employer, the borough of Fort Lee, New Jersey. The contract is retroactive to January 1, 2010.

The new contract contains wage increases each year, and maintains the medical plan without any additional costs to the Local 108 members employed there.

Pictured (left to right) are Fort Lee library workers Sarah Pardi, Carole Watson, Ellen Sladovich and Marilyn Fishkin.

Yo WalMart:  Fuhgeddaboudit!  New York City does not want you here, and the RWDSU and other labor unions will aggressively fight any attempt by Wal-Mart executives and the Related Companies to circumvent our democracy and dodge the will of the people.