Warehouse workers went on strike this week at food distributor Sysco’s warehouse in northwest suburban Des Plaines, which could disrupt food deliveries to the Chicago area, the company said.
Early Monday,125 members of the Teamsters Local 703 went on strike at the Des Plaines facility, saying Sysco had failed to bargain in good faith on a new contract. Since negotiations started in January, “almost no progress has been made,” the union said in a news release. The contract expired in February 2020 but was temporarily extended.
Houston, Texas-based Sysco sells and distributes food products to businesses such as restaurants, schools and health care facilities. The company has more than 58,000 employees at 343 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 650,000 customer locations, according to its website.
Chicago Public Schools is closely monitoring the situation and while there have been “minor delays” in food delivery, the district does not expect to experience shortages, spokesman James Gherardi said in an email.
“The district is committed to ensuring all students are fed, and in the days ahead, will make school menu adjustments if necessary,” he said.
Northbrook-based pizza chain Lou Malnati’s, which uses Sysco for some produce deliveries, plans to work with other suppliers to reduce the impact, spokeswoman Mindy Kaplan said in an email.
But the company won’t substitute inferior products, like canned mushrooms instead of the fresh ones it usually uses, which could make certain menu items temporarily unavailable. That hasn’t been an issue so far, Kaplan said, but “we don’t know how long it will stay that way.”
“Sadly, this is one more challenge hitting the restaurant industry in an already difficult time,” she said.
In a letter to customers posted on Sysco’s website, Great Lakes Region President Peter Peluso said the company plans to bring in additional delivery and warehouse workers from other Sysco sites and third parties but warned many deliveries would be affected for the rest of the week.
“We are extraordinarily disappointed that, in our customers’ time of great need, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 703 has decided to walk out on you and our Company,” he said.
Sysco said the union wanted to include “illegal language” in the contract terms.
The union did not respond to a request for comment on Sysco’s statement. According to the union’s news release, 99% of Teamsters Local 703 members voted to authorize the strike and 200 Sysco drivers who are members of Teamsters Local 710 have said they will not cross the picket line.
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September 02, 2021 at 03:18AM
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125 Sysco workers on strike at food distributor’s Des Plaines warehouse - Chicago Tribune
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