One of the Scotts Valley Hilton Inn conference rooms was reserved from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. yesterday for Threshold Enterprises, Ltd. management negotiations with General Teamsters, California Cannery Warehouse Workers & Food Processors, Local 912, union representatives.
According to Steven Lua, Member Specialist of Local 912, Threshold Enterprises, Ltd., headquartered in ScottsValley, has approximately 800 employees; 600 of whom are union members in their ScottsValley and Santa Cruz manufacturing, warehouse, packaging, and distribution centers. The union has been representing the employees, seventy percent of whom are women, for the last three years. This will be their second contract.
Yesterday was the third time the parties met and the discussion was primarily about contract language or non-economic issues. Other issues such as a living wage, affordable health care will also eventually be on the table.
The union representative said that Threshold has seen a 20 percent growth in profit in the last five years; they have recently opened another facility in Virginia, however, many local employees are not paid enough to afford the health insurance coverage the company offers and have to work second jobs in the local fast food industry just to make ends meet.
Press-Banner reached out to Threshold’s Human Resources Manager, Phil Ray, and he was able to confirm that they are in negotiations, “It is a process, and the details will be pretty much confined to that room for the time being.”
