Bakers Local 114 and Franz Bakery are pretty far apart in bargaining over a new contract covering about 150 production workers at the company’s Portland bakery. Their current five-year contract expired June 8. Local 114 is proposing raises totaling 29% for a new three-year contract, and Franz is proposing 12.9%. Workers are looking to make up lost ground from several years of high inflation.
Franz is also balking at a Local 114 proposal to end last-minute schedule changes. Union negotiators are asking for at least a week’s notice. Local 114 secretary-treasurer Taylor Almond says managers post weekly schedules on Thursdays but often change them with as little as two days notice.
The two sides are next scheduled to meet July 10. Almond said if there’s no movement from the employer then, the local may consider scheduling a strike vote. Local 114 has scheduled a meeting for members at Franz to be held at the Oregon AFL-CIO headquarters at 10 a.m. July 26.
Meanwhile, bargaining for about 210 Franz workers in Springfield is set to begin July 11.
