On April 22, over 50 workers at Casa Di Bertacchi in Vineland, N.J., ratified a five-year contract. Local 152 members work primarily in the production of Italian meatballs sold under the Casa name.
Provisions in the contract include:
• Guaranteed across-the-board wage increases
• Reimbursement for purchase of work boots
• Increased contributions to the employer-sponsored 401(K) retirement fund
Additional language was added to comply with the state’s Earned Sick Leave law, which allows workers to carry over sick days from one year to the next.
“The Casa Di Bertacchi negotiations showed that fair wages aren’t an abstract idea — they’re grounded in real household costs and economic reality. This contract moves employees closer to stability and reflects what happens when workers speak with a united voice and insist that their wages keep pace with the real cost of living,” said UFCW Local 152 Director of Collective Bargaining Louis Faiola.