14 Sep 2007
Support National Frozen Foods Workers

Workers at National Frozen Foods Corporation - a company that is among the top five private label frozen vegetable processors in the USA, have been denied their union rights. On July 14, 2007, National Frozen Foods terminated its contract with the Teamsters, an ITF affiliate, and illegally declared bargaining at an impasse. The Teamsters have filed unfair labour practice charges against the company.

View archived Protest Letter

National Frozen Foods employees at its facilities in Chehalis, Washington, USA have been represented by the Teamsters since 1945.

Since 2004, these workers have made concessions in the form of pay cuts of up to 16%, the loss of seasonal health care benefits, the loss of retiree health care benefits, and increases in the number of qualifying hours for health care, pension benefits, and pay increases. The concessions have disproportionately hurt those who can least afford them - particularly Hispanic workers, seasonal workers, and newly-hired workers. Approximately 45 percent of National Frozen Foods workers in Chehalis, Washington are women.

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is investigating complaints of numerous child labor violations at National Frozen Foods' facilities in Chehalis; Complaints include working minors through the night, using minors to operate machinery, denying minors legally mandated meal breaks and forcing minors to work at work stations prohibited by child labor laws.

National Frozen Foods employees at Chehalis are represented by Teamsters Local 252 located at 217 E. Main St., Centralia, Washington 98531, Mike Mauermann, Secretary-Treasurer, (360) 736-9979.