Workers strike for bargaining rights

Several Teamsters Unions are striking against Aunt Millie's Bakery after contract negotiations stalled between the bread maker and union representatives four days ago.

More than 200 workers from three different local unions are picketing at Aunt Millie's locations across the country.

"Our picket lines currently go all the way from say Lansing, Michigan and eastward to the Canadian border," said Bill Bernard, Vice President of Teamsters Union Local 164.

Around 10 workers started protesting outside the Fort Wayne bakery Tuesday night, rotating shifts every few hours. They are mostly truck drivers who deliver bread.

Local 164 President Al Sprague says the issue is maintaining bargaining rights. "The employer has given us a proposal that we would have to give up our right to bargain over wages, hours, or working conditions," said Sprague.

The workers' absence has had little affect on production. The company continues to bake and deliver as usual.

"Managers from within the company are filling in and working a lot of extra hours to take bread to the stores," said Melissa Dunning, Spokesperson for Aunt Millie's Bakery in Fort Wayne.

Perfection Bakeries insists it is working hard to come to an agreement with each local union. Dunning tells NewsChannel 15, the bakery has scheduled a meeting with union representatives for Friday.