Members of Teamsters Local 386 voted overwhelmingly Friday to strike against California Dairies Inc. Turlock South.
But just hours before workers were set to begin picketing at midnight, the two sides reached a tentative agreement to avoid any labor disruption.
Union members likely will vote to either accept or reject the deal early next week.
“We will not be striking tonight,” said Bryan Ronngren, president of Local 386.
Earlier Friday, members of Local 386 voted 123-9 to decline CDI’s third offer regarding wages and health benefits.
California Dairies Inc. is a milk-processing co-operative owned by more than 300 dairy families, according to its website. Located at 475 S. Tegner Rd., CDI South produces a variety of dairy products, including butter products for Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Smart & Final.
Negotiations between CDI and employees began about two months ago, according to Ronngren.
Basically, the grievance came down to money. Wages vary depending on job classifications, but generally CDI South Turlock workers earn between $23 to $26 per hour, according to the union.
“They’ve asked us to take a different health-care plan, one that saves the company a lot of money, and they want to use that savings to fund raises, while putting very little of their own money on the table,” Ronngren said Friday afternoon. “The first offer was a change in health care and wage increases that were ridiculous. The second offer was a $1.25 increase that was spread out over five years. Today was their third offer, and all they did was to take all the money spread over five years and moved it up to the first year.”
The fourth offer seems to have been the charm.
A CDI representative did not return a phone call or answer an email from the Turlock Journal on Friday.
Teamsters Local 386 represents approximately 3,600 workers in Stanislaus, Merced, and Mariposa counties, as well as Yosemite National Park, who work for companies such as UPS, Winco Foods, Aramark, Crystal Creamery, and CVS Warehouse.
Ronngren said members of Local 386 have not gone on strike since 1997, as part of the UPS national strike.
“You never want to strike,” said Ronngren. “This is our last resort. We want to get a deal done.”
Local 386 Secretary Treasurer Jeff Berdion was seen meeting with CDI representatives after the vote, indicating that one final attempt at reaching a deal could be in the works. An 8 p.m. deadline was established.
According to Ronngren, the CDI plant in Fresno successfully negotiated a contract with its employees, represented by Local 517.
“The (Turlock) employees want something similar to what Fresno got,” said Ronngren. “What the employees are offering to their staff at Turlock South is well below what our members at the other facilities are getting,” said Ronngren. “In fact, we just ratified a contract with this same company in Fresno where the workers secured wage and benefit increases amounting to $9 per hour over the lifetime of the agreement. This offer is a slap in the face.”
Ronngren said the two sides reached a deal just before their self-imposed deadline that was in fact “very similar to the deal they got in Fresno.”
Local 386 has a roster of 180 dues-paying members at the Turlock plant, with 160 of those classified as active members.
More than 100 combined union members from CDI North Turlock and CDI in Los Banos were ready to join the work stoppage, according to Ronngren.
“CDI plants in Los Banos and Fresno, both union plants, got better offers,” said one CDI Turlock South employee who wished to remain anonymous. “We’re just trying to match their contract. I feel like we’re going to get what we want.”
In the end, it appears they did.
