Broadview Dairy Workers Go On Strike

A picket line went up at the Broadview Dairy late Wednesday as 47 union employees rejected the company’s latest contract offer and went on strike.

Dick Solberg, secretary treasurer of Teamsters Local No. 582, said the union is anxious to return to the bargaining table.

“This decision was not made lightly,” Solberg said. “These people don’t want to be on strike. But the cut the company was asking them to take was just too big a hit.”

Solberg said the dairy asked its employees to take a wage cut and pay more for medical coverage.

Officials of the Goodale & Barbieri Cos., which owns the Broadview Dairy, were not available for comment Wednesday evening, but the company was advertising last week for workers who would be willing to cross a picket line.

“I’m sure they will try and figure out some way to keep on operating,” Solberg said.

The two sides began negotiating in May. Wednesday’s vote was the union’s third rejection of a company offer during the negotiating period.