Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Sylvio_ t1_ir5gkkj wrote

I’ve been on a strike from Sysco since Thong Song came out

56

dj_narwhal t1_ir5cf0n wrote

Standing up for workers while also hurting a company that has ruined a ton of local restaurants? Seems like a win/win.

44

CheliceraeJones t1_ir5e7y1 wrote

>ruined a ton of local restaurants

I'm interesting in learning more about this, can you point me to some articles/resources/etc.?

15

enrique-sfw t1_ir5jagx wrote

I came here to ask this. I couldn't figure out how a food delivery company could ruin local restaurants.

9

FaustusC t1_ir5lcxb wrote

Crushing the competition out, then changing products to be inferior and more expensive.

13

kadaverin t1_ir5ltxu wrote

Because their shit is bottom of the barrel IQF garbage. If we ever had a Fallout situation Sysco foods, Twinkies, and cockroaches would be the only things left to eat.

Source: worked in a college that used Sysco.

8

SanchitoQ t1_ir633tm wrote

Restaurants order their raw products from companies like Sysco, called broadliners. In New England, the big broadliners are Sysco, PFG, US Foods, and some other ones that are smaller in size.

If Sysco’a delivery drivers aren’t driving, then restaurants aren’t getting raw product to make their dishes, which means they don’t have dishes to sell to the public. Also, many restaurants are contracted with their broadliners, so it’s not like a Sysco customer can just pick up the phone and call PFG and place their order.

Source: 12 years managing restaurants

7

NyxOrTreat t1_ir5resp wrote

Sysco is my partner’s supplier. He told me on Monday they flew a bunch of their drivers up from the South to work as scabs. Fuck Sysco.

34

schoolbusserman t1_ir61pro wrote

I have never understood the use of the term scabs in this situation. I know its a common derogatory term for people who fill in for striking union workers. But when you have a wound a scab is necessary for healing. It just make no sense for union workers to call them scabs.

6

Jfinn2 t1_ir6d3kt wrote

When the term came in to fashion, people weren't too interested in the beneficial healing properties of scabs. They were ugly and unclean, and closely associated with sores and diseases like Syphillis. Scab as an insult was more broad until the turn of the 18th century labor movement. Stephanie Smith put it well: "Just as a scab is a physical lesion, the strikebreaking scab disfigures the social body of labor—both the solidarity of workers and the dignity of work."

23

[deleted] t1_ir6gp6q wrote

[removed]

4

asuds t1_irfz8ir wrote

Great! All the people complaining about the strike are making a strong argument for increased immigration! Good on you!

1

[deleted] t1_irg0lz3 wrote

[removed]

1

asuds t1_irg5xkk wrote

I can tell that you think you are making a point. It’s cute!

However your point is a pro-union, not anti-immigration point. Guess you can’t see that.

“When it came to how the union was run and its immigration stands, no American union or labor leader embraced undocumented immigrants and immigration reform earlier and more consistency than the UFW and Cesar Chavez. “

1

[deleted] t1_irgalog wrote

[removed]

1

asuds t1_irgbumc wrote

Yes, as companies were bringing in undocumented workers with no market power who they could abuse. Aint capitalism grand!

Glad to see you are backing this strike 100%! That’s a refreshing change from you!

“Like every legitimate union and labor leader, the United Farm Workers and Cesar Chavez strongly opposed strikebreaking by anyone, no matter who they were or where they were from. Farm worker walkouts would have quickly been won in the fields if growers hadn’t recruited strikebreakers (or scabs) from outside their companies—and increasingly undocumented workers from outside the country—to take the jobs of striking field workers, forcing the UFW into bitter and protracted strikes and boycotts.”

1

5nd t1_ir609iw wrote

It's fair for everybody to walk off the job but it's not fair for them to hire new people.

Ok got it.

1

NyxOrTreat t1_ir65bsy wrote

Sysco didn’t hire new people; they flew already-contracted workers from a different part of the country. Sure, they have the right to do so, and it’s great for them because the wages for those workers are lower than the wages of the ones striking. The service is still shit, but so is the service from pretty much everyone, and it’s what we as a country allow corporations to get away with in the name of their profits over our livelihoods. Corporate oligarchy is ruining this country. You can think that’s ok; I can think it’s a system rigged to keep employees from being able to successfully fight for better benefits. Something we used to be able to do, and amazingly we had a large middle class and significantly smaller income discrepancies between the poorest and the wealthiest. Best of luck to the strikers. Hope they succeed despite Sysco’s efforts.

14

AKBigDaddy t1_ir61b01 wrote

This is honestly where the union issues start to lose me. Like I support collective bargaining and the right of the workers to strike- putting more power in the hands of the workers is undeniably a good thing. BUT those workers don't have an inalienable right to that job. If they all collectively walk off, it might make business sense to come back to the negotiating table and work something out, but maybe it makes sense to let them all go and start over. I don't agree with forcing the business to retain them.

4

lendluke t1_ir671xg wrote

100%. Also unions really aren't needed much these days in the US. Just look at food service workers wages going up like crazy given the labor shortage, no union required.

−16

AKBigDaddy t1_ir6fcyr wrote

I disagree about not being needed, I think they absolutely still have their place, as it's not just about wages.

8

asuds t1_irfzlls wrote

The lack of unions is the reason that real wages have materially underperformed real productivity over the last 40 years.

0

Waythorwa t1_ir62j6n wrote

What do you mean? Isn't that what's taking place?

1

asuds t1_irfzeqa wrote

I guess you have no concept of labor relations or any knowledge of American industrial history. But please let us know what you think…

0

[deleted] t1_ira2s8j wrote

[deleted]

1

NyxOrTreat t1_iralep9 wrote

My partner’s a mid-level manager for a multi-state company and makes less than $50k a year. He hates Sysco but has no say in their supplier. His CEO, who bought a new Porsche a month into the pandemic, is definitely profiting off it though.

2

kadaverin t1_ir5m8s2 wrote

Sysco is our supplier at work and there is already plans for shutdown if we can't get product in a timely fashion. Not that I'm complaining since I hate this fucking place and some days off would give me a chance to look elsewhere.

28

adamjackson1984 t1_ir5kjcu wrote

Sysco is HUGE. Their 2021 annual investors report said this:

>We estimate that we serve about 17% of the approximately $230 billion annual foodservice market in the U.S., as estimated by Technomic, Inc., for calendar year 2020. Technomic projects the market size to increase to approximately $285 billion by the end of calendar 2021. We also serve certain international geographies that vary in size and amount of market share. We believe, based upon industry trade data, that our sales to the U.S. and Canada food-away- from-home industry were the highest of any foodservice distributor during fiscal 2021. While comprehensive industry statistics are not available, we believe that, in most instances, our operations in the U.S. and Canada are among the leading distributors of food and related non-food products to foodservice customers in those trading areas. We believe our competitive advantages include our sales consultants; our diversified product base, which includes quality-assured Sysco brand products; our service reliability; the ancillary services we provide to our customers, such as business reviews and menu analysis; and our multi-regional presence in North America and Europe, combined with a large geographical footprint of multi-temperature warehouses, which mitigates some of the impact of regional economic declines that may occur over time.

Feeding 17% of Americans and likely 30-40% of New England (there are regional strong players) is massive. This is not just a couple of restaurants and school cafeterias. Food sitting in warehouses and not being delivered to restaurants will impact all of us. I'm not saying the workers shouldn't strike but the regional delivery drivers who pick and deliver the food will cripple a lot of restaurants who need to find the same ingredients at the same price point from other suppliers just to build their core menus.

23

akaWhisp t1_ir5fzh5 wrote

Keep fighting the good fight.

21

mattthephotoguy t1_ir5j3yv wrote

We’ve got some of them on route 125 near epping, I wave to them on my way to work everyday!

16

WhiskyIsMyYoga t1_ir5au31 wrote

But where will I get my overcooked 75% lean burgers now?

15

b1ack1323 t1_ir5ias3 wrote

They are suppliers to a lot of restaurants too. This could become a serious problem for small restaurants.

9

paraplegic_T_Rex t1_ir5okgm wrote

Wow that’s a big one. Just about every pizza/sub shop in the area probably relies on them for at least some product

13

nowhereman1223 t1_ir6ril0 wrote

Try most restaurants too.

Sysco has multiple tiers of food quality. Places like Copper Door and others use them as well.

12

paraplegic_T_Rex t1_ir6tbx0 wrote

True. Sysco also supplies other restaurant items too I believe. I know in a past life as a GM at a food/entertainment space we used them for everything from chicken fingers to forks and cups and ice cream cones.

8

nowhereman1223 t1_ir6uexy wrote

Exactly.

They supply nursing homes, hospitals, and assisted living facilities too.

My grandmother is at one and I am wondering if this will effect her.

5

joostadood526 t1_ir7n9ns wrote

They flew a bunch of guys from the south to come work here. This is fact. Had a fella from Virginia deliver my truck yesterday.

11

nudgetravel t1_ir8fwgi wrote

not sure what this has to do with industrial food processing.

0

joostadood526 t1_ir94po7 wrote

The drivers who fuckin deliver the food? Are you paying attention bro? Lol

6

nudgetravel t1_ir951p5 wrote

"deliver my truck"

−1

joostadood526 t1_ir9jr1d wrote

Yes... They deliver trucks full of food to restaurants? Are you plugged in bud?

2

nudgetravel t1_ir9jvjy wrote

yeah i am douchebag

1

joostadood526 t1_ir9k5hh wrote

We can all tell you're a douche bag my guy. It's cool. Do better next time your moron showed up today.

1

nudgetravel t1_ir9kkuv wrote

don't call me "my guy" again. we are not friends.

−2

Reubachi t1_ir9xpgw wrote

unrelated and not OP, but I wonder if this is the first ever unintentional/unaware reference to the buddy/guy/friend bit from South Park.

3

rAsTa-PaStA1 t1_ir7e9ne wrote

Our USFoods rep delivered our 100 piece order in a pick up truck in Portsmouth due to all their drivers being pulled to Boston because customers are giving them dbl orders while Sysco can’t deliver.

10

joostadood526 t1_ir7ojwn wrote

Your rep is amazing. Lol

7

rAsTa-PaStA1 t1_ir7uy8z wrote

He came thru! ✌️

4

joostadood526 t1_ir7wbmz wrote

I also work the industry in Portsmouth so I can assure you this person went above and beyond for you my G. Wicked cool to hear it, struggle's real

5

anarchir t1_iramiko wrote

I no longer work with Sysco, but when I did order from them I also did double orders (order for two weeks at a time instead of one). That way if Sysco was out of something I had a lot of time to fix the problem, or if Sysco messed up the order, or didnt show up, etc.

3

rAsTa-PaStA1 t1_iri0gr6 wrote

We have to use 4 vendors- we are really busy and fortunate.

2

[deleted] t1_ir9n3v4 wrote

[deleted]

−2

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir9ns71 wrote

Sysco chose to cut healthcare for supply chain workers during a supply chain crisis despite a 159% increase in profits last year.

11

Ogre213 t1_irh6jad wrote

It’s entirely possible to care about those things and still care more about the people that are being fucked over so the CEO can get 4 extra points on their bonus.

3

anarchir t1_iram97z wrote

It sucks. Food prices are definitely going to rise everywhere. It is already a nightmare trying to source ingredients reliably as it is.

2

rj218 t1_ir5qr5x wrote

Average pay for the drivers is over 110k per year with generous benefits.

−7

Madly_Maxie t1_ir5tkch wrote

And? Have you driven truck?

Edit: And that is not even ture

5

vexingsilence t1_ir5z7by wrote

Right from the article:

>A Sysco spokesperson told News 9 in an email that Sysco Boston drivers are making an average of $110,000 this year. The company said it's offering a 25% wage increase over the life of the next contract.

That's a lot of money for driving a truck, and 25% is a hefty wage increase.

5

Madly_Maxie t1_ir64ujl wrote

Oh, a Sysco spokesperson say they are making that much. Ok, and they pay by mile. So, how many miles did they have to drive to make that? How long are they on the road for? Does that number include other compensation?

5

vexingsilence t1_ir66sfx wrote

I'm sure if the company was lying, the union would be all over it. The pubic backlash the company would face wouldn't be worth the risk. Instead, they'd use vague terminology like "compensation is comparable to similar jobs within the region".

The Sysco trucks I see in the area would require a CDL, which limits the amount of hours that the drivers can be on the road. For that amount of money, I don't think they have much to complain about.

6

Madly_Maxie t1_ir6972i wrote

You base your opinion on a lot of assumptions. Glassdoor says that drivers start anywhere from $53k and $79k. Indeed says they average about $78K. Anyone that takes Sysco's word for it is a fool.

2

bsmith696969 t1_ir6fez4 wrote

Glass door and indeed think my job pays $52k per year. I can assure you if that were even remotely close I wouldn't be doing my job.

7

Madly_Maxie t1_ir6vly0 wrote

Does it say average for your job? Because you might make more in your area then the average.

0

bsmith696969 t1_ir7d01g wrote

I work for a company operating in new england only. 89 people hold the same position as me. We all make the exact same salary.

5

Madly_Maxie t1_ir7esk2 wrote

That sounds like an interesting job. What job do you do where only 89 people in the US do that job? What does your company do that is unique to NE that they don't have similar companies in the US with workers doing the same job?

1

vexingsilence t1_ir69rno wrote

Anyone that takes data from sites that don't have any access to the company's payroll information is a fool. Glassdoor's data is mostly self-reported. Now why might people enter low wages? I wonder..

0

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir66l19 wrote

Assuming you even believe "company spokesman", $110k in compensation and benefits seems pretty fair for 70-90 hour weeks.

3

invenio78 t1_ir6yzgb wrote

Do you have data for those hours and that the $110k includes benefits? Average compensation is pretty easy to get and most likely accurate.

As I understand it, these drivers get paid pretty well considering the requirements of the job is a drivers license for truck driving (which can be obtained in a 6 week truck driving program). Not too bad for somebody with a only a high school degree compared to other work.

5

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir728se wrote

If a company spokesperson says they "get" $110k, you'd be a fool to assume anything is left out. A spokesman's one job is to make the workers look as well compensated as possible.

They're working 12 to 14 hours a day. I'm assuming a six or seven day week.

0

invenio78 t1_ir734aa wrote

Actually, the company has legal obligations when it makes statements about employee costs as if it lies, it can be fraud against the share holders. So it is highly likely that those official quoted numbers are correct.

​

Also, drivers are legally limited in the number hours and how long they can drive.

​

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations#:~:text=Drivers%20are%20allowed%20to%20extend%20the%2010-hour%20maximum%20driving,adverse%20driving%20conditions%20are%20encountered.

​

Listen, I'm not "supporting" either side, but you shouldn't just make things up. If you have real data that supports falsehoods the company is making, present it. I don't know, it is a little hard to feel sorry for a salary of $110k with good benefits when people with the same education level are making near minimum wage.

​

Truck driving seems to be a great avenue to make 6 figures without a fancy and expensive college degree.

4

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir76ki3 wrote

>Actually, the company has legal obligations when it makes statements about employee costs as if it lies, it can be fraud against the share holders. So it is highly likely that those official quoted numbers are correct.

I never said otherwise. But a spokesman is going to pick biggest of mean, median, or mode and include all the bennies. Literally the job.

>Also, drivers are legally limited in the number hours and how long they can drive.

70-85 +/- just driving per average a week seems doable within regulations. That's not necessarily counting time/labor unloading.

3

invenio78 t1_ir77t0d wrote

"Mean" is the average,... not a median or mode.

The regulations strictly say 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 maximum. So I don't know where you are coming up with those numbers. And that's a maximum. Where are you getting that over 60 hours per week would be attainable or 70 in an 8 consecutive period.

I think you are stating your opinion as fact or regulation. Please provide links to actual regulations or data if you think these numbers are inaccurate.

2

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir7btis wrote

>"Mean" is the average,... not a median or mode.

It's probably a mean, but you probably couldn't be successfully sued for defrauding the shareholders if you used the most flattering.

>The regulations strictly say 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 maximum. So I don't know where you are coming up with those numbers. And that's a maximum. Where are you getting that over 60 hours per week would be attainable or 70 in an 8 consecutive period.

FMCSA Interstate Truck Driver's Guide to Hours of Service March 2015

"If you follow the 70-hour/8-day limit and work 14 hours per day for 5 days in a row, you will have been on duty for 70 hours. You would not be able drive again until you drop below 70 hours worked in an 8-day period. However, if your company allows you to use the 34-hour restart provision, you would have driving time available immediately after 34 consecutive hours off duty. You would then begin a new period of 8 consecutive days and have 70 hours available"

"The use of a “valid” 34-hour restart resets a driver’s “weekly” hours back to zero. In addition, an individual may perform other on-duty tasks, such as loading or unloading and paperwork, after reaching the 60/7 or 70/8 hour limits."

4

invenio78 t1_ir7i5o4 wrote

There is nothing flattering or unflattering about a statistic. It's a number. The mean (average) salary is $110k.

But if you mean relative salary to other professions, truck drivers are way above. And they are way way above when adjusted for education level prerequisite. I don't know why you make it seem like these guys are making minimum wage? What other profession makes this kind of money without only a high school diploma and such good job security? Not a lot.

There may be some exceptions, but the rules linked are pretty clear so it's not that restart rule is utilized constantly, it would not make any sense. Also, at the end of the day, it's up to the driver how much they want to work. Most likely those doing maximum hours are doing it because they want to earn more money. And at that hourly, who would blame them.

But it's beside the point as you are not arguing that work hours should be limited (and they aren't either), they just want more money.

So question, how much should a high school equivalent job earn in your eyes? Obviously low 7 figures is not enough and the fact that they guys are earning more than teachers, nurses, etc... who have college level requirements as comparison confirms that.

4

asuds t1_irg00y0 wrote

in this case the mean will overweight the higher end of the pay scale (the most senior, most overtime etc.)

Median is more appropriate imho.

0

invenio78 t1_irh3pxh wrote

You don't know that without access to the data set.

Also, they are negotiating for the same contract. So pretty much all the drivers have access to the same pay scale and benefits.

1

enrique-sfw t1_ir5j2d1 wrote

They deliver gross food anyway.

−9

joostadood526 t1_ir7p95c wrote

You're getting down voted by people who have never worked in a restaurant. 90% of restaurants that order from them make it a point to not order certain items. Any casual fine place in NH that orders from them gets strictly dry goods and poultry. They truly have some of the worst product I've ever seen.

4

PreparedForZombies t1_ir7gw22 wrote

They deliver to theme parks and hospitals all the way up to medium-nice restaurants (like someone else mentioned, Copper Door, 30-40% of New England). I bet you eat their food often. There's levels to this.

3

Aedan_Tanner t1_ir6w4u2 wrote

Fucking morons. You signed the contract so you do the work you don't get to go on strike if you want a raise do better work and ask for it but if you sign a contract for employment you do what you signed for.

−38

smartest_kobold OP t1_ir6xk5t wrote

The contract expired last week.

24

Aedan_Tanner t1_ir6xre5 wrote

Then they wouldn't be employed

−25

picklehaub t1_ir77zly wrote

You have a very firm grasp on how the relationship between employees/unions/employers work hu?

25

Aedan_Tanner t1_ir79xpk wrote

it should be employees/employers unions are literally socialist programs and idk why we have labor day to celebrate it each year.

−24

lMickNastyl t1_ir7jpc0 wrote

Keep licking that boot, maybe they'll pick you to lead the pack next.

11

Aedan_Tanner t1_ir7ld7n wrote

I'm not licking any boot and neither should you so stop suckling on mommy government

−4

lMickNastyl t1_ir7lpal wrote

Ah yes the boot of working class solidarity and overworked people exercising their combined power. Delicious, you should try some.

13

asuds t1_irfz2u6 wrote

Why don’t you learn something about the agreements they had in place instead of being a confident “moron”. Renegotiates are explicitly contemplated at specific points. Nobody is five here.

1