Union workers strike at Nabisco plant in Oregon over wages, better working conditions

HENRICO, Va. (AP) — A tentative contract agreement reached between snack company Mondelez and striking union workers could end a walkout that began last month.

The company and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union issued statements Wednesday announcing a tentative deal. Still, The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports neither would discuss the terms.

Anthony Shelton, the union’s international president, says local officers will present the agreement to workers in the coming days, and they’ll vote on it.

Mondelez and the union have been negotiating a new four-year contract since the old one expired at the end of May.

It covers union employees at six sites, including a plant in Henrico, Virginia, making foods like Oreo cookies, Ritz crackers, and Chips Ahoy! cookies.

According to KATU, chaos ensued at the Nabisco plant in Portland, Oregon, on Thursday, where protestors have blocked trucks caravanning in replacement workers.

The news outlet reported that several fights between security guards and demonstrators also occurred Wednesday.

The Associated Press reported that more than 1,000 hourly employees in Oregon, Virginia, and Chicago are striking as they seek a fair contract and resolutions in disputes over wages, pensions, and overtime pay.