Talk Bronx New York

BRONX, N.Y.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Stella D’oro Company today issued the following statement:

“While the Bakery Workers Union (Local 50, BCTGM) and their political and community allies are pointing the finger at Stella D’oro and its current owner for the permanent shutdown of Stella D’oro’s Bronx bakery operations, the truth is that it was the Union’s flawed strategy that made this outcome a foregone conclusion.

From the outset of negotiations a year ago, the Company made it clear that it was operating at over a million dollar annual loss. While the owners had continued to fund the Company for the first two years of ownership, they were not prepared to do so indefinitely, and a labor cost restructuring was needed because the business would not have long-term viability paying workers $35 an hour in wages and benefits, and providing 10 weeks of paid time off per year. The Union understood the facts, but showed no willingness to make any meaningful concessions. So Stella D’oro’s workers became the sacrificial lambs, when the Union called a strike in August 2008 before the Company had taken any action other than making bargaining proposals. Read more..

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OUT IN THE COLD: Emilia Dorsu of Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International Union Local 50 pickets outside the Stella D’Oro cookie plant at 237th and Broadway in the Bronx shortly before Christmas. Stella D’Oro’s 136 workers have been on strike four months.

It is Christmas time, but there is little holiday cheer at the Stella D’Oro cookie factory in the Bronx. The 136 workers at the famous Italian biscuit company, members of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International Union Local 50, have now been on strike for more than four months and it may be several more before they head back to work. The workers’ contract extension expired at the end of July and Local 50 called the strike when the owners walked out of negotiations on August 13.

Workers at the plant are disappointed that their dispute with management could not be resolved before the holidays. Read more..

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MORE THAN 100 South Bronx residents attended a public meeting held by Mothers on the Move (MOM), a community organization that has mobilized around local issues such as funding and safety for public housing, students rights and, most recently, environmental justice.

Among the grievances expressed by residents was the continued deteriorating condition of New York City public housing due to the lack of funding for crucially needed maintenance projects. There was testimony, especially from the elderly and disabled, on how building elevators are constantly out of service. Some said there were times they had to walk up 20 flights of stairs to get to their apartments.

There have been several demonstrations at City Hall to address these issues, but the city continues to cut funding for public housing. At the same time, the city charges the New York City Housing Authority $73 billion for the “special services” provided by the New York Police Department. Those “services” basically mean occupying subsidized housing facilities and harassing residents for suspected crimes. The city also wants to spend $550 million for jails in the South Bronx.

The environment has become a huge concern as well. The asthma rate is the highest in the South Bronx especially among young children, and the cancer rate is 25 percent higher in the Bronx then the rest of the city. Read more..

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