Teamsters Union Applauds Rep. Patrick Murphy's Support of Workers at U.S. Foodservice

[Omaha Steve]

http://sev.prnewswire.com/food-beverages/20090415/DC9970115042009-1.html

Congressman Calls on DOD to Scrutinize Suppliers Guilty of Labor Violations

WASHINGTON, April 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In a tersely-worded letter, Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., has called upon Vice Admiral A.S. Thompson, Director of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), to cease entering into contracts with employers that mistreat workers and shortchange taxpayers, specifically naming Rosemont, Illinois-based U.S. Foodservice as an example of a company that has benefited from DLA contracts despite a long history of labor violations.

The Teamsters Union supports Murphy's position on this issue. He has taken a stand for U.S. Foodservice employees, who have been battling illegal anti-union behavior from their employer for months.

U.S. Foodservice, which is owned by private equity firms Kohlberg, Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR) and Clayton Dubilier & Rice, Inc. (CD&R), is one of the largest food distributors in the United States. Holding contracts with numerous businesses and organizations, U.S. Foodservice supplies food to millions around the country, including the DLA, an agency in the U.S. Department of Defense, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

In 2008, U.S. Foodservice provided food supplies for America's servicemen and women to the tune of $204 million. Despite its multimillion dollar business, U.S. Foodservice habitually breaks labor law, threatening, harassing and intimidating employees who want to form unions.

"I am deeply troubled by the military's practice of entering into contracts with employers who have a history of serious labor law violations," Murphy wrote. " DLA has an obligation to lead by example in being a model employer by working only with responsible, scrupulous companies."

FULL story at link.

Website: http://www.teamster.org/