Union employees at the Viscofan plant in Danville are calling on the company to approve a contract that strengthens pay and supports families. The United Food and Commercial Workers union, Local 686, released a statement today (Tuesday, June 11, 2019) saying the company’s current proposal would limit the ability of workers to keep up with the cost of living and make it harder for them to care for their families.
‘’Our members at Viscofan work incredibly hard every day to create the high-quality products that helped the company generate nearly a billion dollars in revenue,’’ said Tim Miller, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 686. The union claims Viscofan has been focused more on the profits of their Spanish shareholders than investing in its hardworking employees here in Danville.
Representatives from the company were not immediately available for comment on this story. More than 240 members of UFCW Local 686 are affected by the negotiations which have been underway since January, according to the union. The union says Viscofan management has proposed no wage increases for the next year for any workers, and forces workers to come in early for mandatory overtime. The union says that disrupts family schedules and takes parents away from their children. The union also notes Viscofan generated $880-million dollars in revenue during 2017.