Just Born Inc. employees began a strike Wednesday at the
Bethlehem plant that manufactures PEEPs marshmallow candy, the employees'
union, Local 6 of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers
announced. The company had already shipped its Halloween candy and most of its
Christmas merchandise, but was gearing up for shipments for Valentine's Day, a
spokeswoman said.
The union, with its headquarters in Horsham, said the
plant's 400 workers went on strike after the company proposed eliminating the
workers' pension plan, offering inadequate wage increases and increasing worker
contributions to health care.
"The primary barrier to an agreement is the
company's proposal to have future hires participate in a healthy 401K rather
than the unsustainable multi-employer pension plan," company spokesman
Matt Pye said in a statement.
The union asked its members nationwide to boycott the
company's products, which include Mike and Ike, Teenee Beanee jelly beans, Hot
Tamales and Goldenberg's Peanut Chews. Union members at the Goldenberg plant in
Philadelphia are not on strike.
The union said Just Born, a privately-held, family-owned
company, has annual sales of $230 million.
Source: Philly.com
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