Today marks day 100 of the Mott's strike. The pro-union writer, Michael Winship, does a pretty good job of outlining the economics of this strike pitting a corporate giant in Plano, Texas against the workers of a facility born in western New York that dates back to 1842. Our previous posts are here, here, here, here and here.

Good reporting of labor disputes is rare. This Steven Greenhouse piece in the New York Times is a good one detailing the 3+ month Mott's strike and the reason its an important dispute. The company, despite record profits, seeks to reduce wages and claims the employees are overpaid compared to others in the same area.

Mott's workers represented by the RWDSU remain on strike as the harvest season approaches. The company wants concessions, the union is resisting claiming the company made record profits. The apple pickers are crossing the picket line, and thats not the only bad news for the union. Texas Federal Judge Jorge A. Solis (Bush 43 appointee) has enjoined the union and it supporters from placing union supporting stickers on Mott's products in supermarkets because it violates the federal anti-tampering laws. This is a really creative attack on union economic pressure, and a teachable moment for my labor law class.

The plant that makes Mott's applesauce is on strike. Mott's is owned by The Doctor Pepper Snapple Group, Inc. Sadly, it is not, and was never owned by my Mott family.

After 114 days the strike by workers against Mott's will end next week as workers return to work on day 120. The latest proposal does not contain wage cuts, but there are no wage increases during the three years of the contract. Pensions are retained for current workers, but new hires may not participate in the pension plan, although new hires will receive  higher 401(k) contributions. The returning employees will also receive a $1,000 signing bonus.

It may be only a press release, but it was picked up as news and it conveys a powerful rebuttal to the union's posturing in the Mott's strike (as well as to Secretary of Labor Solis who suggested the parties need to come back to the bargaining table).