NEW YORK, Sept. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Speaking at the Rochester Labor Day Parade, RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum today accepted U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis's call that the union and Dr. Pepper Snapple Group resume negotiations immediately to end the 107-day strike at the Mott's plant in Williamson, NY. Appelbaum called on Dr. Pepper Snapple executives, headquartered in Plano, Texas, to accept Secretary Solis's challenge and return to the bargaining table.
In an essay published by the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle on this Labor Day weekend, the United States Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis, stated:
I want the company and the workers to get back to the bargaining table. I want them to resume negotiations immediately.
Appelbaum stated: "Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis is right. The way to resolve this strike is through collective bargaining. The union is ready to negotiate immediately, and to go around the clock until this dispute is resolved. We are now waiting to hear whether the company is similarly prepared to accept the Secretary of Labor's call, or if they will reject the U.S. Secretary of Labor's call to resume negotiations to end this strike."
"Too many families are hurting. Workers are fighting to stay in the middle class. Growers are worried about their crops. And the entire economy of Western New York will be affected by this impending disaster to the apple crop. Dr. Pepper Snapple must not waste any time. Dr. Pepper Snapple must respond positively and immediately to Secretary Solis's call to return to negotiations."
The approximately 300 workers at Mott's in Williamson, NY went on strike on May 23rd after the company committed unfair labor practices and slashed workers' wages and benefits - despite the company being highly profitable and posting net income of $555 million last year, as Secretary Solis notes.
For more information on the Mott's strike, please go to http://www.mottsworkers.com/.
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union represents 100,000 members in the U.S. and Canada. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.
RWDSU
CONTACT: David Mertz, RWDSU, +1-917-304-3453
Web Site: http://www.mottsworkers.com/
