Unions discuss industry trends at spring meeting of the Inter-Union Wet/Dry Corn Milling Council

During the second week of May, Local 175 Member and Ingredion Canada Plant Chair Brian Harms and Union Rep Mike Mattioli attended the Spring Inter-Union Wet/Dry Corn Milling Council in Illinois.

Brian and Mike met with other Unions, including the Bakers, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers (BCTGM), Steelworkers, and Teamsters, to discuss relevant matters in the corn milling industry.

“This council is incredibly important,” said President Haggerty. “Sharing information and discovering similar industry challenges helps all Union members achieve better contracts and working conditions.”

In fact, Unions established this council in 1965 in large part because they needed a forum to exchange information. The Union delegates discuss wages, benefits, industry trends, and other collective bargaining details. Additional topics include grievance and arbitration updates, workplace issues from the shop floor, and health and safety concerns.

Information sharing allows each Union to gain advanced knowledge of what to expect at negotiations or from employers down the road so that the Members’ interests can be protected. The continued participation of this diverse coalition of Unions helps ensure we can achieve good collective agreements, such as the contract ratified by Members of Local 175 at Ingredion in December 2016.

In addition to in-depth discussions, the conference also welcomed guest speakers on workers’ compensation and conciliation and mediation services. Delegates listened to presenters give insight on how to engage members and function in Right to Work states, and details on the current state of the U.S. health care crisis.