Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union
Volume 21 Number 6
November/ December 2019
to our
BCTGM
B & C HEALTH BENEFITS FUND SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT, PAGES 12-13
the PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Thoughts for the NEW YEAR
W
With the New Year upon us, now is the time to reflect on the past to review our challenges and our achievements. And as we evaluate our past, it is also an opportunity for us to plan for the future. The history of this great union reminds us that unity is a powerful force. We’ve learned time and again the importance of solidarity. We’ve proven that the BCTGM doesn’t walk away from any tough fight when our members’ jobs and standard of living are at risk. We have fought the good fights and won victories that exemplify the true meaning of solidarity and proven that the will of workers cannot and will not be silenced. It is important to remember that collective bargaining, organizing and politics are very closely related. More than ever before, our ability to continue to secure solid contracts for workers in our industries is dependent upon our success as a union in organizing non-union workers within our industries. We know that good contracts build strong communities. When we win a battle for a contract it benefits not just the members who fought for their rights and better living standards, but also other workers in the community. Organizing drives and contract fights are waged not just for the current workforce, but for the future generations of workers in these shops. We are teaching a new generation of workers a valuable lesson on dignity, justice and respect. It is vital to the survival of this union as well as the entire labor movement to use these lessons to shape our future. We must continue to stand strong in the face of adversity. It is weakness that anti-worker/ anti-union forces prey on. In this divisive political climate, remind yourself of what the BCTGM stands for. We stand for a world where working people get a fair share of the profits their work generates. We stand for income equality – in a nation where working people can live on the same block as the lawyer and accountant; for social equality, where people are treated the same regardless of their race, gender, or sexual orientation. We stand for nation that is more humane – a place where the poor can earn a decent wage and escape poverty; where workers don’t risk their lives when they go to work, where retirees know that their pensions are secure. Our job as strong, proud BCTGM members is to work for a society where people care for each other, help each other, stand together, plan for the future, 2
help the less fortunate, and perhaps above all else – defend our right to express our concerns without fear of retaliation. Be proud of who you are and what you represent. Be proud of the work you do and the movement you are in – and spread the word about what you believe. What the BCTGM will continue to focus on in the coming year is not what divides us, but what unites us – and what unites us is the struggle for a better life for our families and our fellow workers. There is strength in solidarity. The BCTGM has within its ranks all that we need to achieve our goals and not just survive – but thrive. Working together in the New Year, the BCTGM will continue to strengthen the common threads among us that bind the tapestry our diversity. Moreover, we will continue to be a strong and powerful force in communities throughout North America for economic and social justice. There is much to be proud of in how much the BCTGM has accomplished over the past years. And, while there are many challenges that lie before us, we will build on the spirit of this great union and meet these challenges with the courage and strength that we have demonstrated throughout our history. We will continue to defend our members, as we win strong contracts while building our communities and giving working men and women a stronger voice on the job. - David B. Durkee, BCTGM International President
BCTGM News
Official Publication of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, Maryland 20895-3961 (301) 933-8600 www.bctgm.org David B. Durkee, Editor Corrina A. Christensen, Assistant Editor BCTGM General Executive Board President David B. Durkee • Secretary-Treasurer Anthony Shelton Vice Presidents Shad Clark • Roger Miller Ron Piercey • Brad Schmidt • David Woods BCTGM General Executive Board Members Joyce Alston • John Bethel • Richard Davis Pierre Luc Ducet • Paul LaBuda • Mary Trujillo Earl Lublow • Letitia Malone • Gary Oskoian • Paula Steig Doyle Townson • Jeff Webb • Donald Woods BCTGM News (ISSN 1525-4860) is published bi-monthly by the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3961. Periodicals postage paid at Kensington, MD and at additional mailing offices. Subscription to new members only. Postmaster: Send address changes to BCTGM News, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3961.
BCTGM News
Newly-elected Intl. Secy.-Treas. Anthony Shelton addresses the GEB.
GEB Elects Shelton as International Secretary-Treasurer
O
n December 6, the BCTGM International General Executive Board unanimously elected Anthony Shelton as International Secretary-Treasurer to fill the vacancy left by Jethro Head, who retired November 1. Shelton has been a member of Local 25 (Chattanooga, Tenn.) since 1973 when he went to work at Holsum Bakery in Chattanooga, where he served a shop steward. He also worked at Colonial Bakery where he was a steward and chief shop steward. Shelton was a Local 25 Trustee and member of the Executive Board between 1986 and 1992. In March, 1992, Shelton was appointed as an International Representative by then President John DeConcini. In appointing Shelton, President DeConcini stated that he is “thoughtful, well organized, intelligent, and extremely personable” and “will make an outstanding International Representative.” Shelton served as a Southern Region International Representative for 23 years. In September 2015, Shelton was elected by the General Executive Board to serve as International Vice President for the Southern Region. At the 2018 BCTGM Constitutional Convention, delegates elected Shelton to a full four-year term as Vice President. “Anthony has a long history of devotion to the Union and has spent decades defending our members’ rights and standard of living. I am proud that he will help me in leading this great union,” declared International President David Durkee, who administered the Oath of Office. President Durkee reflected on the Shelton family’s legacy of devotion to the Union. Anthony’s father, Walter Shelton, was a 62-year member of the BCTGM and served as Business Agent of Local 25 and a longtime member of the International’s General Executive Board.
Southern Region VP To replace the vacancy left by Shelton, the General Executive Board unanimously elected David Woods as the Southern Region International Vice President. November/December 2019
Woods became a member of the BCTGM Local 165G (Knoxville, Tenn.) in August, 1989 when he went to work at White Lilly Foods, Co. as a maintenance mechanic. Woods served as the Principal Officer of Local 165G until the Local merged into Local 25 (Chattanooga, Tenn.) in 2004 and he was elected as Assistant Business Agent of the newly merged Local Union. In 2007, Woods was elected Business Agent/ Financial Secretary of Local 25, a position he served until 2012 when International President Frank Hurt named him as a Southern Region International Representative. While he was a local union officer, David served as a Trustee of the Chattanooga Central Labor Council and Committee Member of the KnoxvilleOak Ridge Central Labor Council. He has a long and active history serving various roles with the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America. In 2017, Woods graduated from the Harvard Trade Union Program. Trade unionism runs in Wood’s blood. His father, Harold Woods, was President of the Tennessee AFL-CIO and his mother, Sylvia, is a local and regional leader for the Office and Professional Employees Union.
Intl. Pres. David Durkee (right) administers the Oath of Office to Anthony Shelton (left) and David Woods (center).
www.bctgm.org
3
AFL-CIO Responds to Dangerous Republican Pension Funding Plan On November 20, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) introduced a proposal to address the pension funding crisis facing our nation. The plan was released as a white paper in order to solicit comment ahead of an actual bill being introduced, the timing of which is unclear at press time. In response, on December 2, the AFL-CIO Retirement Security Working Group released a statement on the Grassley-Alexander Proposal. BCTGM International President David Durkee serves as a member of the Retirement Security Working Group and has worked tirelessly as a leading voice in labor urging Congress to pass legislation to secure multiemployer pension plans. The working group consists of 16 unions and the Alliance For Retired Americans. The December 2nd statement reads:
AFL-CIO Retirement Security Working Group • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 4
Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Bonnie Castillo, NNU Tom Conway, USW Kenneth Cooper, IBEW Joe DePete, ALPA David Durkee, BCTGM Ray Hair, AFM Mary Kay Henry, SEIU Richard Lanigan, OPEIU Robert Martinez, IAM Marc Perrone, UFCW Robert Roach, ARA Cecil Roberts, UMWA Harold Schaitberger, IAFF Joe Sellers, SMART John Stocks, NEA Randi Weingarten, AFT
After a lifetime of hard work, working people deserve to retire with dignity. The labor movement is proud of our negotiated multiemployer pension plans, which have provided retirement income security for millions of working people for decades. Now, as a result of reckless Wall Street behavior, industry deregulation and employers’ creative use of corporate bankruptcy, important parts of that multiemployer pension system are at risk. To stave off financial devastation for retirees across the nation, the Senate must act immediately—but it also must act wisely. Senators Grassley and Alexander have finally put forward the Republicans’ white paper to address the crisis faced by several multiemployer pension plans. As it stands, their proposal will not only injure the retirees and active participants it purports to help, it also will precipitate the collapse of all multiemployer pension plans. This document contains no federal financial assistance whatsoever. Contrast this to the over $700 billion that the government provided to the banks and Wall Street in 2008 and other corporate tax giveaways in recent years. Here, under the guise of a federal solution, Grassley and Alexander have crafted a tax increase that hits hardest those who do not bear responsibility for the financial challenges faced by troubled multiemployer pension plans—including retirees, active pension plan participants, unions and employers. Any multiemployer pension legislation should, at a minimum, do no harm. This proposal fails that basic test. Instead, it is punitive in nature, imposing hefty new costs that even healthy plans will be unable to survive. For example, in one sizeable national plan, there would be an eleven fold increase in Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premiums that would double the cost of that plan’s administration. The AFL-CIO has endorsed other bipartisan bills without these fatal flaws: the Butch Lewis Act and the Bipartisan American Miners Act, the latter of which must be passed this year to avoid significant harm to tens of thousands of retired miners and their widows. It is imperative that the Senate moves quickly on a solution that is viable and constructive—legislation that will provide retirees with their hard-earned benefits and stabilize the multiemployer pension system overall, while not jeopardizing healthy plans. If there is one thing we should all agree on it is that the cost of doing nothing will be catastrophic. BCTGM News
L. 334 (Portland, Maine) Bus. Agt. John Jordan explains the importance of contacting Maine Senator Susan Collins.
Local 334 Officers and Retirees TAKE ACTION on Pension Legislation
I
n Portland, Maine on a chilly fall Saturday morning, BCTGM Local 334 (Portland, Maine) Business Agent John Jordan held a special meeting for Local 334 retirees. The purpose of that meeting? To explain the Butch Lewis Act of 2019 (S. 2254) and the importance of contacting U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) to urge her support of the legislation. According to Jordan, “It is crucial that our retirees and members contact Maine Senator Susan Collins so that she will support S.2254. The passage of this bill will give financial security to the B&C Pension Fund for years to come.” After some discussion, Local 334 retirees handwrote letters to Senator Collins. Jordan and Financial Secretary-Treasurer Jim Anderschat spent time talking to the retirees about their B&C Pension and why it is important that Congress take action to help preserve multiemployer pension plans. Subsequently, Senator Collins formerly became a co-sponsor of the legislation. Earlier in the year, Local 334 officers, retirees and members helped in getting Maine Senator Angus King to become a supporter of the legislation. Local 334 retiree Bill King began working at JJ Nissens Bakery in Portland after serving the country in the Korean War. At the Local 334 retiree meeting, King wrote a letter to Senator Collins explaining his
Local 334 retiree Be Phan says he is proud to be B&C pensioner. November/December 2019
feelings about his pension while urging her to cosponsor S. 2254. King, who has been collecting a B&C Pension for 30 years, says, “This pension is my livelihood. Years ago we would negotiate pension increases in lieu of a raise so it would be there when we needed it most in our older years. To see a reduction in my pension would hurt as it helps support me along with my Social Security.” Local 334 retiree Be Phan emigrated from Vietnam and became a member of the union when he went to work at the Wonder Bread factory in Natick, Massachusetts. He later moved to Biddeford, Maine and took a job at the Hostess Plant, a job he held until his retirement. Phan also sent a letter to Senator Collins. “My pension is very important to my life. It helps me pay for my mortgage and groceries. Mostly it makes me proud to be a union member,” reflects Phan. There are more than 300 multiemployer pension plans across the country – including the B&C Pension Fund. The Butch Lewis Act of 2019 is important to ALL BCTGM members with collectively bargained pensions. S. 2254 is the only Senate legislation that addresses the nation’s looming multiemployer pension crisis. Please join together with King, Phan and thousands of other BCTGM retirees and members across the U.S. in emailing your Senators. Visit bit.ly/SenateSaveOurPension
Local 334 retiree Bill King writes a letter to U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine). www.bctgm.org
5
‘ Tis THE SEASON FOR Planning to buy gifts to give this holiday season? If you buy union, you’re helping keep good, middle-class jobs in the U.S. and Canada as you support businesses that pay working families a decent wage with quality benefits. Union-made gifts and services can be hard to find. Here are some ideas to consider:
Garments “The American roots mission is to create good jobs in the United States, deliver a quality product, have a commitment to our community, our workers and our country, and to support a better more sustainable way of life.” American Roots manufactures jackets, pullovers, vests, hats, scarves and blankets in a Westbrook, Maine factory, with Union labor, using 100% American made fabric and materials. Check out americanrootswear.com and support this family-owned company using union labor to produce quality garments made in America.
Union Shippers: Sending cards and packages? Ship it union with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or United Parcel Service (UPS)! The American Postal Workers Union (APWU) represents more than 200,000 employees who belong to the Clerk, Maintenance, Motor Vehicle, and Support Services divisions. It also represents approximately 2,000 private-sector mail workers. United Parcel Service (UPS) operates with a dedicated workforce of 250,000 union-represented employees.
Blankets:
Kitchenware
Give the gift of warmth with a blanket from Pendleton Woolen Mills. Pendleton blankets (but not apparel) are made in Washougal, Washington, and Pendleton, Oregon. Workers are members of the Workers United union and are paid good wages, receive overtime after eight hours, and have health and pension benefits.
U.S.-made Pyrex glassware and All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware are made by United Steelworkers members in Pennsylvania. U.S.-made Fiesta brand dinnerware is made in West Virginia by members of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastic and Allied Workers union.
6
BCTGM News
UNION GIFT Giving Books for Union Activists Beaten Down, Worked Up: The Past, Present, and Future of American Labor
We Are One: Stories of Work, Life and Love
by Steven Greenhouse
By Elizabeth R. Gottlieb
There’s an enormous upheaval in the American workplace right now, and those who tell you they know how the next decade will pan out — for good or ill — don’t know their history. That’s one of the main lessons of “Beaten Down, Worked Up,” the engrossing, character-driven, panoramic new book on the past and present of worker organizing by the former New York Times labor reporter Steven Greenhouse.
We Are One is an introduction to today’s labor movement from a personal perspective, offering stories from the lives of musicians, laborers, teachers, journalists, auto workers, nurses, coal miners and others. We learn about their jobs and their dreams, and realize that their unions help to make those dreams possible.
Haymarket
Sisters in the Brotherhoods: Working Women Organizing for Equality
by Martin Duberman
By Jane LaTour Many blue-collar arenas remain contested terrain for females. Women still struggle to get training, to get jobs, and to secure a harassment-free workplace. Despite the efforts of the pioneering generation, females still enter these jobs one by one and two by two and only against great odds do they remain there. These oral histories explore the achievements of the women who made history simply by going to work every day.
A historical novel built around the 1886 clash that shook the country. The novel brings to life late nineteenth-century Chicago and a handful of remarkable individuals who were willing to dedicate and ultimately give up their lives for what they believed in: human dignity for every person. The novel tells the story of immigrants, radical intellectuals, journalists, advocates of the working class--and of the events culminating in bloodshed.
Shop Powell’s Books – NOT Amazon Why shop non-union Amazon when you can buy books and gifts at Powell’s Books and support about 450 Portland, Ore.-area members of ILWU Local 5, from cashiers to truck drivers to computer programmers. Powell’s pays wages that average more than $14 an hour, and provides health benefits for full-time employees. And if you shop online through ilwulocal5.com, 7.5% of your purchase goes to the union strike fund.
November/December 2019
www.bctgm.org
7
Enjoy a BCTGM-M
Delight your friends and loved ones with holiday treats made by hard-working BCTGM members! L Pearson’s Candy Company
Dare Foods Limited
Holiday tins, bagged and chocolate mints including The Nut Goodie Bar, Salted Nut Roll, and Pearson’s Mint Patties.
A variety of gums, jellies, hard candy and gift tubs, festive filled with Icy & Spicy Mints, Snowdrift Mints, festive colored Ju Jubes and Dare’s Scotch Mints.
BCTGM Local 22 (Twin Cities, Minn.)
Brown & Haley Holiday gift boxes, baskets, tins and packages filled with the company’s renowned Almond Roca, Cashew Roca, Mocha Roca, Sugar Free Almond Roca and Candy Cane Roca. BCTGM Local 9 (Seattle)
Boyer Candy Boyer Mallo Cups, Boyer Peanut Butter Cups, Smoothie Cups, Triple Twist Pretzels, and Dark Chocolate Mallo Cups. BCTGM Local 19 (Cleveland, Ohio)
BCTGM Local 264 (Toronto, Ontario)
Frankford Candy & Chocolate Holiday candy toys, gift baskets, tins boxes and packs filled with gums, jellies, hard candy, molded filled, hollow and solid chocolate under the Frankford name BCTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia)
Ghirardelli Chocolate Company Holiday chocolate gift baskets, tins, boxes and festive packages with Ghirardelli brand filled and solid chocolate in white, milk and dark varieties. BCTGM Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Enjoy a Hershey Holiday KISS! Hershey Hot Cocoa Kiss, Candy Cane Kisses and original milk chocolate Kisses are all dressed up in festive foils as part of Hershey Chocolate’s 2019 holiday candy lineup made exclusively by members of BCTGM Local 464 in Hershey, Pa. Other Hershey Kisses made by union members at the West Hershey manufacturing plant include Cherry Cordial, Lava Cake, Fudge Meltaway, Cookie and Cream Kisses, Kiss with Almond, White Chocolate Kisses, Special Dark Kisses and Hershey Hugs. Local 464 members also make the Santa Claus shaped chocolates, Hershey Nuggets and Rolo – all wrapped in festive foils for the holiday season.
8
BCTGM News
Made Holiday Season
Listed here is a small sampling of holiday goodies made by BCTGM members in the U.S. and Canada. Sconza Candy Company
See’s Candies
Red, White & Green Chocolate Jordanetts, Christmas Bell Jellies and Rings, Reindeer Corn, Red, White & Green Boston Baked Beans, Yogurt Raisins, Lemoncello Almonds, Chocolate/Yogurt Fruit & Raisins.
Holiday tins, baskets, boxes with hard, soft and nut chocolate candies, peppermint twists, fudge and foil chocolate. Chocolate Assortment, Nuts & Chews, Truffles, Lollypops, Brittles & Toffees.
Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Allan Candy Company Allan Traditional Candy Canes (Peppermint, Cherry and Mini Peppermint), Allan Holiday Collection Candy Canes (French Vanilla & Gingerbread, Butterscotch & Cappucino, Mini Canes), Allan Fruit Buddies Candy Canes, Allan Chewy Candy Canes. Local 350T (Granby, Quebec)
Jelly Belly Holiday candy and Jelly Belly jelly beans in gift boxes and holiday bags. Special flavors include candy cane, peppermint bark, egg nog, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and a special Christmas mix. Local 125 (San Leandro, Calif.)
Nestlé Laffy Taffy, Rope Laffy Taffy, Stretchy Tangy Taffy, Peter’s Caramel, Nestle Toll House Morsels, Nestlé Crunch Bar, Baby Ruth, Butterfinger, Nips. Local 342 (Bloomington, Ill.)/Local 1 (Chicago)
Tootsie Roll Industries All varieties of Tootsie Roll products. Local 1 (Chicago)
November/December 2019
www.bctgm.org
9
Flour-Milling Local Unions Leaders Meet
BCTGM Local Union Officers representing members at U.S.-based flour mills met in Indianapolis to explore the possibility of creating a BCTGM Grain Milling Council.
The meeting was led by Riskey and BCTGM International Research and Education Director Matthew Clark. Clark led a presentation on the U.S. milling industry, as well as an examination of BCTGM union-density within each of the major The BCTGM has other Industry Councils including the Biscuit, Candy, Snack and Pasta Council, companies. A longer discussion followed with each local and the Sugar Council. These Councils meet annually union presenting a report on the milling units they to discuss issues impacting the industry, review represented. There were also discussions about capital activities at the local level, and examine organizing investment, market share, and staffing levels. opportunities. Several local unions, led by Local Director of Organization John Price reflected 167G (Grand Forks, N.D.) President John Riskey, on the need to organize the companies to enhance that represent flour mills reached out to International BCTGM density in the industry. “Organizing the President David Durkee about creating a council for entire milling industry is not only a necessity, but it their industry. The BCTGM represents workers at Archer Daniels is within our grasp if we take on that challenge,� said Price. Midland (ADM), Ardent Mills, Grain Craft, Bay Among those Locals representated were: 3G, 4, State Milling, General Mills and other grain-based 6, 13G, 22, 25, 26, 36G, 50G, 58G, 65, 117G, 133G, companies. International President Durkee opened the meeting 167G and 218. Midwest Region Vice President Brad with a discussion about the responsibilities that go into Schmidt, Southern Region Vice President Anthony Shelton, East-Central Region Vice President Roger forming an official Council. He also talked about the importance of grain milling locals working together to Miller, Assistant to the International President Harry Kaiser, as well as International staff. leverage our power within the milling industry. BCTGM Intl. Pres. David Durkee discusses the importance of grain milling locals working together to leverage power within the milling industry.
Participants listen to a presentation on the Milling industry with a focus on BCTGM union density within the industry.
Local union officers give reports on their milling operations with a focus on capital investment and staffing levels.
10
BCTGM News
Local 218 stewards training class in Topeka, Kansas
Stewards in Kansas and Missouri Keep on Learning O
ver 30 stewards from Local 218 (Kansas City, MO), representing seven facilities participated in a one-day steward training conducted by the BCTGM International Union. The training in Topeka, Kansas, was led by BCTGM International Midwest Vice President Brad Schmidt and BCTGM International Research and Education Director Matthew Clark. Curriculum for the steward training included legal rights of stewards, how to communicate the union’s message, grievance investigation, new member orientation, health & safety, internal organizing and grievance writing. Stewards attending the education conference came from a variety of employers, including: Frito Lay, General Mills, Bimbo Bakeries USA, Archer Daniels Midland, Purina and Grain Craft. Despite the fact the stewards came from different companies and industries, many of the challenges they face at the worksite are the same. Some of the stewards cited aggressive managers and supervisors. Others agreed that their employers cared more about the bottom line than the well-being of their workers. Many mentioned that their employers tried to ignore
the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement. With this in mind, the training used these different experiences as teaching moments and the stewards learned from one another. The new stewards in the training were able to learn techniques and lessons from the stewards who had been around for many years. According to Vice President Schmidt, it is imperative that new stewards learn from the more senior stewards. “Our more seasoned stewards do a good job of taking newer stewards under their wing and help them with writing their first few grievances and showing them the ropes when dealing with supervisors,” said Schmidt. The training also focused on getting new employees to join the union and become engaged. Schmidt noted that in right-to-work-for-less states, it is important for stewards to “talk union” to new employees. “Our stewards are the face of the union, and we need them to talk to new employees about the benefits of being a union member, and how we are more powerful together than apart,” noted Schmidt.
The Local 218 stewards came from seven different union shop but faced many of the same challenges.
Role play scenes are part of the steward training. November/December 2019
www.bctgm.org
11
SUMMARY ANNUAL REPORT FOR THE BAKERY AND CONFECTIONERY UNION AND INDUSTRY INTERNATIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS FUND
This is a summary of the annual report of the Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Health Benefits Fund, EIN 530227042, Plan No. 501, for the period January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. The annual report has been filed with the Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, as required under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The Joint Board of Trustees of the Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Health Benefits Fund have committed themselves to pay all non-insured claims incurred under the terms of the Plan. Insurance Information The plan has a contract with United Healthcare Insurance Company to pay health and prescription drug claims incurred under the terms of the plan. The total premiums paid for the plan year ending December 31, 2018 were $17,978,743. Basic Financial Statement The value of plan assets, after subtracting liabilities of the plan, was $216,655,518 as of December 31, 2018, compared to $228,827,664 as of January 1, 2018. During the plan year the plan experienced a decrease in its net assets of $12,172,146. This decrease includes unrealized appreciation and depreciation in the value of plan assets; that is, the difference between the value of the plan’s assets at the end of the year and the value of the assets at the beginning of the year or the cost of assets acquired during the year. During the plan year, the plan had total income of $27,209,738 including employer contributions of $14,765,470, participant contributions of $225,254, realized losses of 12
($1,211,195) from the sale of assets, and earnings from investments of $823,900, and other income of $12,606,309. Plan expenses were $39,381,884. These expenses included $3,972,891 in administrative expenses and $35,408,993 in benefits paid to participants and beneficiaries. A total of 26,715 persons were participants in or beneficiaries of the plan at the end of the year. Your Rights To Additional Information You have the right to receive a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, on request. The items listed below are included in that report: • • • • • •
an accountant’s report; financial information; information on payments to service providers; assets held for investment; transactions in excess of 5% of the plan assets; insurance information, including sales commissions paid by insurance carriers;
To obtain a copy of the full annual report, or any part thereof, write or call the office of Steven D. Brock who is the Manager of Administrative Services, Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Health Benefits and Pension Funds, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3960, (301) 468-3750. The charge to cover copying costs will be $10.00 for the full annual report, or 25 cents per page for any part thereof. You also have the right to receive from the plan administrator, on request and at no charge, a statement of the assets and liabilities of the plan and accompanying notes, or a statement of income BCTGM News
FOR THE PERIOD JANUARY 1, 2018 THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2018
and expenses of the plan and accompanying notes, or both. If you request a copy of the full annual report from the plan administrator, these two statements and accompanying notes will be included as part of that report. The charge to cover copying costs given above does not include a charge for the copying of these portions of the report because these portions are furnished without charge. You also have the legally protected right to examine the annual report at the main office of the plan at 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, MD 20895-3960 and at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., or to obtain a copy from the U.S. Department of Labor upon payment of copying costs. Requests to the Department should be addressed to: Public Disclosure Room, Room N1513, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
FUNDS’ TRUSTEES Following is a listing of the trustees currently serving on the boards of each Fund:
Union Trustees – • David B. Durkee (Chairman), Intl. Pres.; • Anthony Shelton, Intl. Secy.-Treas.; • Shad Clark, Intl. Vice Pres.; • Roger Miller, Intl. Vice Pres.; • Brad Schmidt, Intl. Vice Pres.; • David Woods, Intl. Vice Pres.
Additional Explanation Additional Basic Financial Statement Information: The retiree contributions of $12,605,071 were for extended health insurance under the plan.
Employer Trustees –
Información Adicional
• Jon McPherson, Vice Pres., The Kroger Company;
Si tiene dificultad en la interpretación de este Sumario del Reporte Anual, por favor escriba o llama a la oficina de Steven D. Brock, que es el Director de los Servicios Administrativos de el Bakery and Confectionery Union and Industry International Health Benefits and Pension Funds, 10401 Connecticut Avenue, Kensington, Maryland 20895-3960, (301) 468-3750. November/December 2019
• Lou Minella (Secretary), Sr. Vice Pres., Human Relations, Bimbo Bakeries, USA;
• Phil Paturzo, Vice Pres., Labor Relations, Bimbo Bakeries, USA; • Ken Hurley, Vice Pres., HR & Global Labor Relations, Kellogg
www.bctgm.org
13
Local 6 and Bimbo Bakeries Team Up for Action on Pension Legislation
Local 6 members at the Pittston, Pa. Bimbo Bakeries distribution center.
B
CTGM Local 6 (Philadelphia) posed a challenge to all its Bimbo Bakeries U.S.A. shops: strive for one hundred percent participation in the BCTGM’s Save Our Pension online campaign and win union-made “I Took Action” t-shirts. For several weeks this fall, Local 6 members at Bimbo facilities in Breinigsville, Pa., Carlisle, Pa., Dupont, Pa., Hazelton, Pa., Lehigh Valley, Pa., Olean, N.Y., Reading, Pa., Williamsport, Pa. and Pittston, Pa. emailed Pennsylvania Senators Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R) urging their support for the Butch Lewis Act of 2019, S. 2254. Computers were set up in lunch and break areas at each Bimbo facility and Local 6 members sent emails during break times, lunch times, before and after their shifts. The result was more than 1,000 email letters were sent to the two Senators. Once management learned of the Local’s challenge,
Local 6 members show off their winning t-shirts at the Bimbo distribution center. 14 14
Bimbo Bakeries, a participant in the B&C Pension Fund, enthusiastically supported the political effort and announced it would sponsor a luncheon for the winning location. According to BCTGM Local 6 Business Agent Hank McKay, every location was excited to participate in the good-natured and important competition. In the end, there were two winning locations with 100% participation: the Reading bakery and the Pittston distribution center. “I am so proud that these folks stepped up and participated. This shows the power of our union. Everyone was so enthusiastic about this campaign. It was a fun way to take action on this very important pension legislation.” “I Took Action to Save Our Pension” t-shirts were distributed to the union workers by their union stewards and a steak lunch, with all the sides and desserts, was provided by Bimbo Bakeries in both winning locations.
Every Local 6 member at the Reading, Pa. bakery took action on the Butch Lewis Act and received a t-shirt and a company sponsored steak lunch.
BCTGM BCTGM News News
The BCTGM Power/Union Plus Auto Buying Service Use the Union Plus Auto Buying Service, administered by TrueCar, a leading auto purchasing provider, to help you find the right new or used car or truck for you and your family. With the Auto buying Service your family will save an average of $3,402 off MSRP1 on new cars, as well as: • • • • •
Free access to online research tools to see what others paid for the same car you want Search 900,000+ used cars for sale nationwide Up to $2,000 in post-sale benefits like Auto Repair and Deductible Reimbursement2 $100 rebate when you buy a new union-made car $200 rebate on a new union-made, EPA Green Car3
Visit unionplus.org/benefits/auto to begin your new car search!
2018 Union-Made Bestsellers Ford Escape Chevy Equinox Chevy Silverado Ford F-150 Jeep Cherokee Jeep Grand Cherokee Ford Escape Chevy Traverse Dodge Ram 1500 Chevy Malibu
November/December 2019
www.bctgm.org
15
Printed in the U.S.A.
The International Executive Officers and General Executive Board wish all BCTGM members a
and Holiday Season
David B. Durkee
International President
Anthony Shelton
International Secretery-Treasurer
Vice Presidents: Shad Clark • Roger Miller • Ron Piercey • Brad Schmidt • David Woods BCTGM General Executive Board Members: Joyce Alston • John Bethel • Richard Davis • Pierre Luc Ducet • Paul LaBuda Earl Lublow • Letitia Malone • Gary Oskoian • Paula Steig • Doyle Townson • Mary Trujillo (not pictured) • Jeff Webb • Donald Woods