Picket Line Against Dr Pepper Snapple Group (NYSE: DPS) Extended to National Fruit Product Company, Inc. in Winchester, VA; Bowman Apple Products Company, Inc. in Mt. Jackson, VA; and DPS's Own The American Bottling Company in Northlake , IL

NEW YORK, July 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Members of RWDSU Local 220 on strike for nearly 10 weeks against Mott's LLP (a wholly owned subsidiary of Dr Pepper Snapple Group) are taking their picket line to the National Fruit manufacturing plant in Winchester, Virginia and Bowman Apple Products in Mt. Jackson, Virginia to protest Mott's outsourcing and co-packing of struck applesauce due to slowed production in the Mott's Williamson, New York plant.  Strikers and union members will be leafleting National Fruit and Bowman Apple Products workers about the ongoing labor dispute at Mott's.

Strikers will also put a picket line up at Dr Pepper Snapple's American Bottling in Northlake, Illinois.  Staff at that plant have been recruited to come to the Mott's plant in Williamson, New York to make struck product and replace RWDSU Local 220 members.  

Now on their 10th week of striking, the Mott's strikers will set up new picket lines at:

Over 300 full time manufacturing workers at the Mott's plant in Williamson, New York went out on strike on May 23rd as a result of unfair labor practices committed by the corporation in their efforts to impose drastic and unprecedented wage and benefit cuts on their workforce.  

"Everyday that this strike goes on, it becomes more clear how invaluable these workers are to running the factory in Williamson, New York.  Now we are making it clear that we won't rest until the truth is out about Dr Pepper Snapple's corporate greed," said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum.

Despite record profits ($555 million in 2009) Dr Pepper Snapple Group has imposed a $1.50 per hour wage cut for all workers, elimination of the pension plan, a 20 percent decrease in employer contributions to the 401K and increased employee contributions toward health care premiums and co-pays.   By contrast, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group President & CEO Larry D. Young enjoyed a 113 percent increase in his total compensation from 2007-2009 (or 29 percent each year).  Mr. Young's total compensation last year was more than $6.5 million.  

"Looks like they just can't run the plant in Williamson without us, and now they have to pay their competitors to do it for them—seems like they would rather pick a fight that might damage their brand and their financial health instead of bargaining a fair contract," said Bud Bristol, a Local 220 striker, a five year Mott's employee.

NYS Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, Rochester Mayor Robert Duffy and Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand have urged Mott's executives to get back to the negotiating table and bargain in good faith.

About the RWDSU

The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union represents 100,000 members in the U.S. and Canada. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

SOURCE Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union