Jim Beam strike: Kentucky distillery workers have started a new whiskey rebellion in the name of san

[Panich52]

Jim Beam strike: Kentucky distillery workers have started a new whiskey rebellion in the name of sane hours

In the film “Lost in Translation,” Bill Murray’s character is in Tokyo to film an ad for Japanese whisky in which he recites the line “For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.”

It turns out, for a number of American workers, Suntory time is anything but relaxing — often meaning, they claim, 80-hour work weeks. That’s a major reason about 250 unionized employees at two Jim Beam bourbon distilleries in Kentucky initiated a strike, which entered its sixth day on Thursday after workers rejected a final contract offer from their employer, Beam Suntory, the Illinois-based subsidiary of Japanese food and beverage giant Suntory Holdings.

The issues behind the workers’ dissatisfaction are not higher wages or better health insurance — common matters raised when unionized workers enter contract negotiations with their employees. Instead, this strike was called because organizers say the contract offered by Beam Suntory doesn’t contain clearly defined job security and employee seniority terms. And workers, who claim they are often called on to work as much as 80 hours per week, say that the company needs to hire more employees instead of squeezing more and more hours out of their existing ones.

“We are seeking a better work-life balance and a return to the family values and heritage upon which the Jim Beam brand is based,” Jannelle Mudd, president of the local chapter of the United Food & Commercial Workers, told The Wall Street Journal. “All of us work hard and have earned and deserve a better life.”

This has become increasingly important issue up and down the U.S. labor pyramid, whether it’s the low-wage hourly employees on call for work at any time or the mid-level professionals who are expected to respond to job-related communications any waking moment. Companies like Wal-Mart and McDonald’s have received serious criticism for erratic scheduling practices.

More
http://www.salon.com/2016/10/20/the-jim-beam-strike-kentucky-distillery-workers-have-started-a-new-whiskey-rebellion-in-the-name-of-sane-hours/

[DK504]

1. Best union

So nice to see their spokesperson, Mila Kunis, a TV/movie actress is there rep. SAG, Screen Actors Guild, has the best union in the country with the best health care program is stunningly strong and unbreakable.

The rules of TV/Film are very strict for example, if filming goes into lunch or dinner, which must be 6 hours after start time and then 6 hours after lunch, there is a 'meal penalty'. There's also the 10-12 hour turn around. Crew and actors don't have to return to work until at least 10 so they can sleep. There have been a number of crew deaths because they have worked 24 hours straight with no sleep.

Actors also get these rock n roll trailers, they are like studio size apartments so they can relax between scenes or meals.

The irony of using a successful actor to speak for them, then they abuse their own employees shouldn't surprise anyone. It should however make every one take a sharp look at all corporations in our country.