Dunkin' Donuts Continues Attack on Working Families With Anti-Union Demands

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Jul 16, 2010, 03:30 ET

Teamsters Local 25 to Organize Regional & National Boycotts

BOSTON, July 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite their best efforts, negotiators from Teamsters Local 25 in Boston were unable to make any progress toward resolving any of the outstanding issues with Dunkin' Donuts during the federally mediated bargaining session held on July 16.

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During the session at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service offices in Boston, the company continued to push an agenda that could only be interpreted as a blatant effort to bust the union.

"It's obvious to all of us that after 24 negotiating sessions lasting over 11 months, Dunkin' Donuts Northeast DCP is committed to breaking the union," said Teamsters Local 25 President Sean O'Brien. "Instead of wasting the franchisees' money by hiring union-busting law firms and trying to negotiate decreases in current benefits, the company should be using their resources to improve the employees' health care, wages and working conditions. What amazes me is that even after all of our sessions the company still wants to take away benefits the employees currently enjoy."

O'Brien also noted that the company was still insisting on an open shop contract even after the union offered to leave the issue subject to a secret ballot vote by the employees.

"After the company's union-busting lawyer rejected the offer without bothering to confer with his client, it became even more obvious to me that this company never wanted a collective bargaining agreement with Local 25," O'Brien said. "I feel sorry for the 2,400 store owners who are not being properly represented at the bargaining table because it's their businesses that will be severely impacted by this labor dispute.

"As far as we're concerned Teamsters Local 25 has done everything to reach an agreement with the company. Their response is to offer provisions they know we can't agree to and to insist on taking away benefits the employees now have. Therefore, we have decided that future negotiations would be a waste of time. Instead, our efforts will be to organize both regional and national boycotts of Dunkin' Donuts stores and to do everything possible, within the law, to encourage Dunkin' Donuts Northeast DCP to come to the bargaining table with an open mind on issues important to the employees and the union," O'Brien said.

It now appears likely that the work stoppage, boycott and labor dispute are imminent and will commence in the near future.

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million men and women, most of whom drink coffee, in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 25