These striking Bellingham workers return to work as negotiations continue
More than 100 employees at Bellingham Cold Storage have decided to end a two-week strike and return to work.
Workers returned to work on Thursday, July 15, according to a statement from Bellingham Cold Storage. The two sides will continue to negotiate a new contract, something they’ve been working on since November, before the workers decided to strike on July 1.
“We are pleased to have worked with the Teamsters to develop an ‘Orderly Return to Work Plan’ that will allow Bellingham Cold Storage employees to return to their jobs beginning Thursday, July 15,” Bellingham Cold Storage said in a statement sent by email to media and posted on its website Wednesday evening, July 14. “Both parties have worked diligently on the plan to ensure business operations will continue to run smoothly as we facilitate the transition. We are looking forward to having our valued employees back with the BCS family soon. Moving forward, we will continue to bargain in good faith to achieve an equitable and sustainable contract.”
The Teamsters Local 231 and the company are scheduled to meet again with a federal mediator on Wednesday, July 21, said company President Doug Thomas in an email.
In its statement, the union said the decision to offer an unconditional return to work was to benefit the local community, which “was seeing catastrophic impacts as a result of BCS management’s decision to attempt to operate with an unskilled strike replacement workforce,” adding that many small local businesses were being impacted.
Rich Ewing, secretary-treasurer for the Teamsters Local 231, said in a follow-up interview that it is their hope that the company is willing to bargain until an agreement is reached. If that doesn’t happen, Ewing said the return is unconditional, meaning that they could go back on strike again.
The two sides differ on several compensation issues, including health care, wages and pension benefits.
Negotiations broke down in June after the company submitted what it said was its final offer. Union leaders decided the last offer was unacceptable and staged a 30-hour strike starting on Friday, June 18. That was followed by the strike that started on July 1.
According to its website, Bellingham Cold Storage countered with an offer of higher wages and a longer contract during negotiations on Monday, July 12, but the offer was not immediately accepted by the union.
This story was originally published July 15, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
