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200 Workers Who Keep Dunkin’ Donuts Running Join Local 25
Nearly 200 workers who deliver products to Dunkin’ Donuts stores in New England voted to join Local 25 in Boston.
On August 11 and 12, the drivers and helpers at Northeast DCP in Bellingham, Massachusetts voted 100 to 78 to join Local 25. There are 194 workers in the bargaining unit. The drivers deliver all types of items to the stores, including the donut dough, furniture, coffee and coffee syrup, coffee machines, ad displays and other items.
A representation election at the company on April 1, 2009 fell short, but Local 25 filed charges against the company for violating the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) for misleading workers by telling them that their 401(k) retirement plan would end if they chose to join the Teamsters. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overturned that election, paving the way for the second election.
“The company lost all its credibility by violating the NLRA,” said Sean M. O’Brien, President of Local 25. “This victory for the workers is an example of organizing in our core industry—trucking. Our charter going back more than a century mentions Local 25 being a union made up of drivers and helpers. This election brought us back to our roots.”
The workers are concerned about affordable healthcare, changes to their bonus plan and they want a consistent strong voice in the workplace.
To help make the campaign a success, Local 25 set up a dedicated page on its local union website. The web page featured updates about the campaign, fliers and letters from O’Brien.
“We also coordinated an elite group of member organizers for worker-to-worker organizing,” O’Brien said. “Our members are some of our best organizers and this is just another example of why it is so important to engage our members. All of our agents and officers at Local 25 were also on the ground working this campaign.”