BARDSTOWN, KY – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 23D, which represents workers at Heaven Hill Distillery, released a statement in response to the company’s decision to unilaterally impose job reclassifications on workers without bargaining with the union. This decision would eliminate 50% or more of the union’s contracted-for classified positions.
UFCW Local 23D President Leslie Glazar issued the following statement:
“As a distillery worker of 24 years myself, I can attest to how maddening and disappointing the company’s decision has been for union members and all workers in the plant.
“Heaven Hill proposed a plan that would significantly cut union jobs and have a massive impact on all distillery workers. Instead of meeting their legal obligation to bargain with the union, the company has chosen to illegally bypass us by going directly to workers and imposing their changes.
“Let’s make one thing clear: we will take every legal step available to fight for our members, whether Heaven Hill likes it or not. When workers stand together, we win, and we will not let this company strong-arm us into letting go the very workers that keep this bottling plant running.”
Background
After initially being informed of Heaven Hill Distillery Leadership’s plan to reclassify jobs in April, UFCW Local 23D President Leslie Glazar informed the company on April 23 that the Local would not agree to discuss these changes outside of contract negotiations.
On May 2, Heaven Hill Distillery chose to unilaterally impose job reclassifications on union members. Later that night, the union’s counsel filed charges with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and a grievance against the company for imposing unilateral changes to working conditions without bargaining with the union. Heaven Hill has acknowledged and received the charges and grievance.
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UFCW Local 23D is part of the UFCW International, the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, health care, 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.
