As the reporter White points out, the union's contract with General Mills stipulates discussions in the event of a "decrease" in production.
At last evening's city council meeting, somewhere between 75 and 100 Pillsbury workers were in attendance to support a resolution of municipal solidarity authored by CM Bob Caesar. For the first time in months, Mayor Jeff Gahan was present as a council meeting. The resolution passed unanimously, and a joint committee was formed.
Perhaps as befitting the long odds of inducing a corporate climbdown, the atmosphere leaned toward the funereal. I choose this analogy on purpose, because funerals are where people gather to lament the passing, while celebrating the life of the deceased. Probably everyone in the room last night understands that whatever Hail Mary might occur to maintain jobs and production at Pillsbury, there will be no turning back the clock to the era of good unionized jobs.
After all, the gist of statewide economic policy in Indiana is to discourage these sorts of good union jobs, and has been for years. Insofar as local elected officials have appealed to the state for assistance, the help (if any) is likely to come primarily in the form of "retraining" or "outplacement" services. There'll be other companies negotiating to resume work at Pillsbury -- with the explicit acceptance of a non-union labor force.
It would be easy to bash the city for not paying attention, but I won't. None of us were. In the end, we're all dealing with decisions taken far away, with local ramifications that matter very little to the decision-makers. That's the problem. Perhaps in the future, there can be a better way.
Bakery union to talk with General Mills in Feb., Charlie White (C-J)
Discussions are tentatively scheduled early next month between General Mills and the union that represents 335 workers at its Pillsbury plant in New Albany, as well as 80 workers at neighboring Sonoco Products whose jobs also could be jeopardized if the plant closes next year.
Roger Miller, president of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union Local 33G, said Thursday he also plans to meet Friday with Sen. Joe Donnelly, who contacted him after hearing the news of General Mills' plan last week to close the plant.
Miller has also received calls from Rep. Todd Young and state Sen. Ron Grooms, both of whom he hopes to meet with soon about the plant, Floyd County's fifth largest manufacturing employer.
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