Tobacco.org

• PepsiCo Unions Seek NLRB Help to Combat Company’s $50 Tax on Fat, Smoking  

Teamster union members at PepsiCo (PEP) Inc. in upstate New York are seeking National Labor Relations Board help to fight the company’s health-care policy that charges employees $50 a month when they smoke or have medical issues that may trigger weight gain.

Three International Brotherhood of Teamsters locals, representing about 300 drivers, sales agents and warehouse workers in Binghamton, Latham and Syracuse, complained to the labor board in October. PepsiCo is hindering the union’s effort to shop for a health plan without a “sin tax,” said Ozzie Martucci, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 669.

“We’re against that type of tax, frankly,” Martucci said yesterday in a phone interview. “It feels wrong to tax workers if they are overweight or happen to have diabetes or smoke, and we wanted to look elsewhere for different insurance.”

PepsiCo (PEP) workers can avoid the fee if they join programs to stop smoking or lose weight, said Dave DeCecco, a company spokesman. “These programs enable our associates and their families to live a healthier lifestyle,” he said.

The fee is applied to smokers, as well as to workers who have diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure or asthma, conditions that often lead to being overweight, he said.

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Unions and Tobacco Comparison is Offensive and Out of Touch - Brian Wightman, MP  

The Attorney-General, Brian Wightman, today called on the Tasmanian Liberals to apologise for comparing unions to tobacco companies on the issue of political donations.

The Liberal Party's State Director, Sam McQuestin, is quoted in today's media as saying "I trust that the Bill (banning political donations from tobacco companies) will also include a proposal to ban union donations to Labor".

"Unfortunately, this again shows that the Liberals just don't get it," Mr Wightman said.

"Comparing unions to tobacco companies is both ignorant and offensive.

"Suggesting they should be treated the same way in donation laws is even worse.

"Trade unions fight for workers' rights, including better pay and conditions. By contrast, rich tobacco companies sell cigarettes which kill about 400 Tasmanians every year, and put huge extra strain on our health system.

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• PepsiCo workers fuming over smoking levy 

The battle over rising health-care costs in the US is getting testy.

PepsiCo workers in upstate New York are fighting a $50-a-month levy imposed by the company on workers who smoke, The Post has learned.

Roughly 400 workers covered by a Teamsters contract filed a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board last month seeking information surrounding the health plan so they can shop for a better deal.

The union claims that under its contract it is entitled to the information but that PepsiCo has not furnished it. The members are also angry that the beverage and snack giant changed plans without telling them.

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Editorial: Weekly Wrap - These grants mean jobs; no smoking at hospitals 

Union opposed to tobacco-free campus at Womack Army Medical Center 

The goal at Womack Army Medical Center is clear: To become tobacco-free.

But the union representing the Fort Bragg hospital's workers is adamantly opposed such an outright ban.

Last month, leaders at the hospital announced tougher enforcement of the ban on smoking outside designated areas. It coincided with a marketing blitz for Womack's tobacco-cessation programs. The efforts were framed as the first step to eradicating smoking from the campus.

"As a hospital, that is our long-term goal," said Shannon Lynch, a Womack spokeswoman.

But that can't be done fairly, said Jonathan Steele, president of the Local 1770 of the American Federation of Government Employees.

The union represents about 5,000 civilian employees across Fort Bragg, including those at Womack.

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• Union opposed to a tobacco-free campus at Womack Army Medical Center 

The goal at Womack Army Medical Center is clear: To become tobacco-free.

But the union representing the Fort Bragg hospital's workers is adamantly opposed such an outright ban.

Last month, leaders at the hospital announced tougher enforcement of the ban on smoking outside designated areas. It coincided with a marketing blitz for Womack's tobacco-cessation programs. The efforts were framed as the first step to eradicating smoking from the campus.

"As a hospital, that is our long-term goal," said Shannon Lynch, a Womack spokeswoman.

But that can't be done fairly, said Jonathan Steele, president of the Local 1770 of the American Federation of Government Employees.

The union represents about 5,000 civilian employees across Fort Bragg, including those at Womack.

Steele said it would be unfair to workers at Womack if tobacco use were banned there.

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Cigarette Factory Workers Protest Over Tax Increase 

Hundreds of cigarette factory workers protested in front of the Malang Intermediate Customs and Excise Supervisory and Service Office in East Java on Tuesday. The laborers objected to the raise in cigarette taxes applied by the government.

The protestors came from cigarette factories in Malang and Batu in East Java. The workers, united under the Forum for the Indonesian Cigarette Industry Society (Formasi), refused the implementation of the ministerial decree issued by the Finance Ministry - Regulation No. 167/PMK.011/2011. The regulation states that cigarette taxes will be increased by 15 percent beginning next year.

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• R.J. Reynolds employees vote down unions in close vote 

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.'s production and maintenance employees rejected union representation for the third time in 6½ years Friday.

However, getting 45 percent of the vote, according to preliminary results, could inspire union supporters to believe the fourth time could be the charm as early as fall 2012.

With 94 percent of 1,320 eligible employees participating, Reynolds reported 686 voted against and 556 voted for representation by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union. There were no challenged ballots.

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Union effort at Reynolds more about job security, benefits than pay 

Concerns about job security and employee and retiree benefits appear to be at the heart of the latest attempt to form a union at R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.

A joint petition was filed Sept. 12 with the National Labor Relations Board by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.

A secret-ballot vote will take place Oct. 20-21 at Reynolds' Tobaccoville and Whitaker Park plants. According to Reynolds, about 1,320 production and maintenance employees are eligible to vote.

One potential twist in the latest effort is that a significant number of Reynolds production employees have been union members for another tobacco company.

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R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. production and maintenance workers prepare to vote this week on representation 

All's quiet on the union frontlines as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. production and maintenance workers prepare to vote this week on representation from two groups.

A joint petition was filed Sept. 12 with the National Labor Relations Board by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, and the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union.

Since Reynolds acknowledged the petition filing Sept. 27, there has been little, if any, rhetoric and name-calling from either side or public protests. Reynolds employees supporting the effort have not contacted the Winston-Salem Journal to state their case.

A secret-ballot vote will take place at the Tobaccoville and Whitaker Park plants

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• R.J. Reynolds Tobacco employees vote against union representation (PDF) 

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company today announced that a preliminary count of ballots cast indicates that a majority of its production and maintenance workers chose not to be represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) for the purpose of collective bargaining. The preliminary vote count stands at 686 against union representation, 556 for, and no challenged ballots.

“We’re very pleased that our employees believe that we can continue to grow our business best by working together as a team,” said Tommy L. Hickman, senior vice president of operations. “Our ability to act quickly to address opportunities and challenges continues to set us apart from our competitors, and today’s vote helps ensure we will retain that advantage in the future.”

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• Belgian smoking officials to be docked for time they spend outside  

Over 18,000 officials working for the Walloon, French-speaking regional authorities in federal Belgium, have been told that they will disciplined if they are seen smoking in public and that their salaries will be docked for the time they spend on cigarette breaks.

"The presence of officials smoking outside offices is not likely to give a positive image to our administration," said a letter sent to all staff.

"Officials are invited to smoke in the courtyards of buildings or car parks out of the sight of passers-by. Failure to comply could result in disciplinary proceedings."

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• Tobacco union: Farmers won’t release crops without price update 

The head of Lebanon's tobacco union said Tuesday farmers would not release this year's crops until new pricing was issued that would meet the needs of agricultural workers.

"Tobacco farmers will not release their crops this year until after the issue of the new price list that should address the demands and hardships of the farmers," Hasan Fakih said in a statement Tuesday, adding that farmers' problems were not with Lebanon's Tobacco Regie but with the Finance Ministry.

"The farming of tobacco represents a national sector that provides minimum-wage jobs for farmers in the south, Akkar [north Lebanon] and the Bekaa [east]." Fakih said.

The union leader also noted that the number of people working in the field had shrunk considerably, falling to 800 individuals from 2,400.

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• Belgium officials ordered to clock in and out for smoke 

Trade unions Monday kicked up a storm in Belgium over a rule ordering 10,000 French-speaking civil servants to clock out whenever they stop work for a smoke, with each minute sliced off their wages.

"The rule is that when you go out or come back into a building you clock in," Hugo Poliart, the spokesman for the administration of the French-speaking Wallonia region, told AFP.

But unions say the rule discriminated against smokers.

The order dates back to 2009 but has resurfaced following a request for clarification

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Preserving Bulgartabac Holding’s activity for next ten years is the most important thing, says Emil Karanikolov  

Endorsed project for the sale of Bulgaria’s tobacco company Bulgartabac Holding to BT Invest GmbH, Austria will be filed soon at the Supervisory Board of the Privatisation and Post-privatisation Control Agency, said Emil Karanikolov, director of the agency, speaking at a briefing at the parliament, FOCUS News Agency reporter informs.

Speaking about the planned protests of the trade unions against the privatisation of the company, Karanikolov said that yet from the very beginning, when the Privatisation Agency announced the procedure, the trade unions said they are against this move and will fight against it until the end.

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