020540 Union at Excel Plant Ratifies First Contract

Hazleton, PA - Excel Corporation, a leading company in the meat processing industry throughout the United States which produces and delivers case-ready meat products to supermarkets all over the region, has a new Plant which was recently constructed and opened in Hazleton, Pennsylvania. When this Plant operates at full capacity, in the near future, there will be in excess of eight hundred members working there.

Employees at the Excel Plant recently voted by a two-to-one margin to be represented by United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 1776. Since this significant vote, the Local Union, in conjunction with UFCW International and the Bargaining Committee, composed of workers in the plant, negotiated a first contract.

In welcoming the new members to UFCW LOCAL 1776, Wendell W. Young, III, President of the Union, noted that, "This overwhelming victory of the workers to be represented by our Union will ensure that these members will be able to enjoy the guarantees and protections of a good contract."

That is exactly what happened when these employees voted to ratify their new Collective Bargaining Agreement by a vote of four to one at an all-day meeting, held at the worksite, on May 17, 2002.

"Although it is often a difficult and frustrating process to obtain the first contract, these members were able to send a clear message of strength when they voted by a two-to-one margin to be represented by UFCW LOCAL 1776 and as a result were able to successfully bargain their first contract in a relatively short time," said Wendell W. Young, IV, Executive Vice-President.

This first contract established a strong foundation for wages, benefits and working conditions. It is a five-year contract with a wage reopener at the end of the fourth year. Tom Lazur, the Recording Secretary and Northeast Regional Director of Local 1776, stated, "The Excel workers will earn real salary increases over the next four years and they will enjoy substantial health and welfare benefits for themselves and their family members as well as secure pensions. All benefits of being members of our Union, and working with the protections offered by a contract."

At the time of ratification, Wendell W. Young, IV expressed his great appreciation to the bargaining committee members for their diligence and hard work to bring about the establishment of this new contract.

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