Waterbury, VT – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.2 million essential workers in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, retail, and other essential industries across North America, released a statement following Ben & Jerry’s ice cream processing workers’ decision to unionize at the Waterbury, Vermont plant.
Ben & Jerry’s parent company, Unilever, agreed to neutrality, paving the way for workers at their Waterbury, Vermont plant to win union recognition by way of card check today.
UFCW International President Marc Perrone released the following statement:
The UFCW is extremely proud to welcome the hard-working ice cream processors at Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury, Vermont plant to our union family.
From Cherry Garcia to Chunky Monkey, Ben and Jerry’s workers at the Waterbury, Vermont plant proudly make some of the country’s most recognizable ice cream flavors. As America’s food processing union, we are thrilled at the opportunity to not only represent, but uplift, workers at such an iconic American brand and we look forward to bringing this opportunity to other Unilever plants across the country. These workers know better than anyone that whether it’s in a cup or cone, union victory tastes sweet.
UFCW Local 371 President Ronald M. Petronella released the following statement:
We applaud the Ben & Jerry’s Waterbury plant employees who made their voices heard today by joining the UFCW through card check recognition. Ben & Jerry’s are well known for their progressive politics, and we held them to their word.
We are glad to see Ben & Jerry’s and Unilever live up to their stated values by recognizing their workers’ right to unionize instead of forcing a long and drawn out election process. Ben & Jerry’s employees work hard to make the ice cream that so many Americans know and love and we look forward to sitting down at the bargaining table to negotiate a contract with Unilever that gives them the benefits that they have earned and deserve.
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The UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, retail, and other essential industries. UFCW members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.