Thursday, September 9, 2010

Mott’s Boycott


“Mott’s is a bad apple” is the title of a new boycott campaign called this week by the Interfaith Committee. The Chapel is a member of the Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice and supports workers in their ongoing struggle for just employment, living wages, and fair benefit packages.

Because of a forced labor action, we are being urged to support the workers by boycotting Mott’s products which include:

  • Mott's Apple Sauce
  • Hawaiian Punch
  • Margaritaville Margarita Mix
  • Mr. & Mrs. T Drink Mixes
  • Welch's Grape Juice (64 oz.)
  • Rose's Lime Juice
  • Snapple cans
  • Mott's Fruitsations
  • Mott's Garden Cocktail
  • ReaLime Juice
  • ReaLemon Juice
  • Holland House Cooking Wines
  • Clamato
On May 23, more than three hundred workers and members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Local 220 were forced to strike at the Mott's apple juice plant in Williamson, New York.

The plant is owned by the Dr Pepper Snapple Group (DPS). Mott's/DPS has demanded that each employee at the plant accept a $1.50-per-hour wage cut. Moreover, the company wants to reduce its contributions to the workers' 401k plans by 20 percent, freeze the pensions of current employees, eliminate pensions entirely for future employees, and require that workers contribute toward health care premiums and co-pays.

DPS has been tremendously profitable in recent years, owing in large part to the hard work of its employees, like those at the Williamson plant. The three highest-paid executives at DPS have doubled their personal income between 2007 and 2009. DPS's stock value has increased by 28 percent, according to a February 2010 earnings announcement.

Nevertheless, Mott's is insisting on wage and benefit cuts from the workers at the plant in Williamson.

Please join Interfaith Worker Justice in supporting the striking Mott's workers. There are several ways you can help:

1) Help to educate your community about what is happening at Mott's. Talk with members of your faith community about this injustice. Organize a prayer vigil in support of the workers.

2) Discontinue buying Mott's products; organize a leafleting action in front of a local grocery store that sells Mott's products (see list below) urging members of your community not to buy the following items:
  • Mott's Apple Sauce
  • Hawaiian Punch
  • Margaritaville Margarita Mix
  • Mr. & Mrs. T Drink Mixes
  • Welch's Grape Juice (64 oz.)
  • Rose's Lime Juice
  • Snapple cans
  • Mott's Fruitsations
  • Mott's Garden Cocktail
  • ReaLime Juice
  • ReaLemon Juice
  • Holland House Cooking Wines
  • Clamato

3) Request that your faith community's meetings and activities be Mott's-free until the workers are treated fairly.

4) Write Letters to the Editor of your local newspapers voicing your support for the Mott's workers.

5) Pray for Mott's workers in Williamson and all workers suffering injustices in the workplace.

Posted by Chapel Carol at 5:30 PM

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)