Wascar Nunez is a married father, a resident of North Bergen who has spent the last five years as a driver and a helper for Cott-Essex Distributors, located on West Side Avenue. The company is one of the largest deliverers of Snapple soft drink products in New Jersey, serving most of Hudson, Bergen and Essex counties. Nunez has been a dutiful employee throughout that time.
But last week, Nunez says, he reached the limit of how much he could take.
“[Owners Rubin and Bruce Edelson] don’t care if you work here five years, 10 years, whatever,” Nunez said. “The only thing they care about is the money. They don’t care about us.”
Nearly 80 of Nunez’ colleagues apparently feel the same way, as the Teamsters Local 125, which represents the workers at Cott-Essex, organized a strike, a walkout which began last Friday.
Although Cott-Essex does deliver other soft drinks, about 90 percent of their workload is concentrated on Snapple products.
Tony Petillo, the secretary/treasurer for the union local, said that the union has been working without a contract since Jan. 1. He charged that Cott-Essex has been looking for ways to break up the union.
Petillo said, “Many other soft drink distributor drivers get $20 per hour. Our guys are making about half of that. They also have better benefits and pension plans. It’s just not fair.”
He added, “We granted a two-month extension [on the contract], but there have been no negotiations. We were even willing to go longer, but they said no. So when the two-month extension expired [March 1], our local voted 3-1 in favor of going out on strike. It was a way of telling them that their offers were not up to snuff, were not comparative to other drivers and handlers.”
Many of the workers have been picketing daily in front of the complex, braving the frigid temperatures. Some of the workers, fearing losing their jobs, crossed the picket lines and went to work.
Cott-Essex has also apparently hired part-time replacements and is trying to hire full-time replacements for the workers that have gone out on strike, in order to keep their shipments moving.
Several phone calls to speak to Bruce Edelson, the general manager of the company, went unreturned.
“We’re willing to negotiate,” Petillo said. “But apparently, they are not. They’re asking our members if they’re willing to cross the picket line and we’re holding firm.”
Petillo said that Cott-Essex’s business has not slowed during the winter season, when there is usually a dip in soft drink purchases. “Because we’ve had a relatively warm winter, their business is up,” Petillo said. “There have been no layoffs anywhere in the business. There has been an increase in sales, a dramatic increase for this time of year.”
Added Petillo, “Even with the scabs and other workers, he’s only getting out half of his fleet. So this is costing him money, costing him a small fortune.”
The striking workers seem prepared for a long battle.
“Even if it takes a month, I don’t care,” said Fidel Rivera of West New York, who was waving an American flag while striking. “One month, two months, I will be here with everybody. We have to do what’s right.”
Petrillo said, “We have people who have families to support, rents and mortgages to pay. It’s a tremendous undertaking going out on strike, but these workers have been willing to do so.”
The demonstrations have been peaceful, with the strikers not preventing any trucks from leaving the facility.
There have also been no calls made to the North Bergen police about the picketing since the strike began. “We just want what’s right,” Petillo said.
When asked if he thought that the strike could come to a rapid end, Petillo remained optimistic.
“I feel strongly that it will end soon,” Petillo said. “A strike benefits no one. I think there has to be some sort of compromise. It’s still too hard to tell. We’re always willing to talk, but there has to be two sides that are willing.”