Teamsters Local 25 Rallies Against Dunkin' Donuts' Continued Attack on Working Families With Anti-Union Demands

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Jul 22, 2010, 03:12 ET

BOSTON, July 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Several hundred Teamsters Local 25 members from Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire, along with labor and legislative leaders from across the state, descended on the financial district Dunkin' Donuts Thursday morning to bring attention to the company's continued attack on their employees.

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"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," Teamsters Local 25 President Sean O'Brien said. "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."

Local 25 had been negotiating with Dunkin' Donuts' largest distributor, Northeast DCP, for the past 11 months until last Friday, July 16. Despite their best efforts, negotiators from Local 25 were unable to make any progress toward resolving any of the outstanding issues with Dunkin' Donuts during the federally mediated bargaining session and the union has started to organize both regional and national boycotts to commence in the very near future. The company is 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.

Following the July 16 meeting, O'Brien called Dunkin' Donuts' Northeast DCP CEO Kevin Bruce later that day to attempt to bring both sides back to the negotiating table. Bruce, who hasn't attended a single negotiating session, refused to talk to O'Brien. "I prefer not to have these discussions," Bruce stated before abruptly hanging up the phone.

"Dunkin' Donuts has built a business on being the coffee that 'America runs on' through countless marketing campaigns where they appeal to hardworking men and women on the go," O'Brien continued. "Customers need to know the truth: behind the facade of the All-American company, is big-business corporation intent on bullying the hardworking employees and busting the union."

"The irony with this situation is that the original Dunkin' Donuts founder, Bill Rosenberg, was a Union delegate for Bethlehem Steel at a shipyard in Hingham, Mass., during World War II. It is clearly evident organized labor played a significant role in the success of Dunkin' Donuts. If it were not for Union wages and job security, Mr. Rosenberg would most likely not have been able to open his first Dunkin' Donuts," O'Brien continued.

"In this economy, many people struggle everyday to buy a cup of coffee. In the end, it will be DCP's neglect and anti-union demands for their employees that will end up hurting the very men and women who have made this cooperative successful. It's time to put the brakes on Dunkin' Donuts until they realize it takes more than just coffee beans to make Dunkins' run," O'Brien concluded.

Bellingham-based Dunkin' Donuts Northeast DCP is a cooperative owned by regional franchisees that represent 2,400 storeowners. The company delivers products and ingredients to Dunkin' Donuts and Baskin Robbins stores throughout New England.

Founded in 1903, Local 25 is the largest Teamsters' union in New England, representing more than 11,000 men and women, most of whom drink coffee, throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. Local 25 is part of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing 1.4 million men and women, in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 25