Tnuva employees suspend cottage cheese distribution
Cottage cheese protest makes comeback: Tnuva workers union instructs employees to stop distributing cottage cheese in backdrop of labor dispute
The cottage cheese protest is back on, but this time it's Tnuva's employees that are protesting. Tnuva workers, who declared a labor dispute last month, have been instructed to stop the distribution of cottage cheese as of Sunday, Calcalist learned. This will result in a shortage in cottage cheese in retail centers.
The Tnuva workers union is demanding salary increases and an upgrade in the workers' contract terms. Union representative Benny Cohen said that the management responded to the demands by changing distribution routes, combining the distribution of eggs and dairy products as well as dismissing 220-300 employees in the next three years.
"We have been holding negotiations for over a month and they keep stonewalling us. We have finished negotiating. There is nothing left to discuss."
Cohen added that the workers will continue to work but will not distribute cottage cheese. "We won't cause damage to the dairy farmers, we don't want to intentionally cause harm, but there will be no marketing of cottage at the first stage," Cohen said.
Cohen said that Tnuva managers claimed that implementing the workers' demands will force them to raise prices. "This is infuriating," he said pointing to the enormous profit the company turns. "There is no reason for them to link the salary agreement to a price hike."
According to the union, Tnuva is trying to reform the distribution program by expanding the distributors' rounds and extending their work hours. Currently, distributors collect goods at night and distribute the products by morning. Tnuva wants the workers to collect the products during the morning hours and spend more time distributing them.
Tnuva also aims to combine the distribution of dairy and egg products. The union claims this will create a problem as the cooling period for the two brands of products is different. It is rejecting the management's attempt to link the issue to the salary negotiations.
Tnuva said in response: "The company does not negotiate labor agreements with employees through the media."
