Elberta, Union Reach Settlement

A spokesman for a labor union said it reached a tentative agreement with Elberta Crate and Box Company, months after it accused its Avon Park plant of several cases of creating a hostile work environment.

Leon Blocker, of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, would not spell out the exact terms of the agreement since the National Labor Relations Board did not sign onto and finalize the agreement yet. Among other conditions, however, he said the crate manufacturer will throw out its long-standing rule forcing employees to time and log their restroom breaks.

Blocker also said Elberta agreed to nullify the disciplinary action it took against some of the employees for taking extended bathroom breaks. An additional employee that was allegedly fired for working with the union will get a cash settlement. Elberta would also hire a contractor to install hot water in the restrooms, addressing another complaint in the case the union filed against the company.

A call to Elberta's Bainbridge, Ga. headquarters was not immediately returned Tuesday.

"They did away with all of that," Blocker said. "It's a pretty big settlement."

The union is still negotiating with Elberta for higher wages. Blocker said there was also another issue the Machinists were addressing concerning promotions for Spanish-speaking employees, which include half of the plant's staff.

The Elberta employees at the 224 Hatcher Ave. plant asked for the Machinists to represent them as they complained about the disproportionately high rate of injuries there, mostly caused by long hours of repetitive motions.

A hearing was scheduled for last week with the National Labor Relations Board in Tampa, but Machinists representative Bill Street said the settlement came before the scheduled hearing.

Elberta manufactures vegetable crates in its Avon Park plant. It also operates a plant in North Carolina.