Members of UFCW Local 1776 who work at Citterio USA in Freeland, Penn., have ratified a new three-year contract with the company that produces Italian specialty meats.

Mike Palmer Citterio signing Crestwood poster

UFCW Local 1776 President and International Vice President Wendell W. Young, IV, said that members approved the pact in a 110-27 vote.  The union represents 213 workers at Citterio, which has produced quality prepared meat products at the Freeland facility since 1974.

“Our negotiating committee engaged in lengthy bargaining discussions to reach a positive resolution on the continuing challenge of high health care costs,” Young said.  “We were pleased to reach an agreement with the company that will maintain high quality benefits with minimal or no cost to our members.”

Young said the new contact also provides for the company to increase its contributions to the workers’ retirement fund, and to add funds to upgrade certain job classifications in the plant.

The pact expires on May 27, 2012.

The products prepared by Local 1776’s members at Citterio supply leading restaurants and stores in the United States with top-quality meats ranging from classic prosciutto and other dry-cured gourmet meats to Italian salami and mortadella.

Local 1776 secured a fair contract with Citterio by working with the UFCW International’s Global Solidarity Program through the International Union of Food and Allied Workers Association (IUF). The relationship began during negotiations in 2006, when the local’s bargaining committee first collected information on how Citterio operates its unionized plants in Italy.

In preparation for this year’s contract, the Global Solidarity Program helped organize a delegation of stewards to travel to Citterio’s plants in Italy over the winter. Local 1776 stewards met with staff, stewards, and workers at the Italian meat workers’ union headquarters to tour the plants and discuss working conditions, best practices, health care, contracts, and labor law.