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Smithfield workers ratify 4-year contract with pay increases

By The Associated Press

SMITHFIELD, Va. — Workers at Smithfield Foods have ratified a four-year contract with annual pay increases.

The Daily Press reports that the agreement between the meat-packing giant and International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 822 covers more than 1,000 workers at the Smithfield plant.

It was supported by 98% of union voters.

The contract provides an immediate $2-an-hour wage increase, a $2 increase during the first year and annual increases after that.

Under the new contract, senior employees get an extra week of vacation and 75 workers from a non-union facility are brought into the bargaining unit.

The union also won the right to review future market rate adjustments.

How refill stores are changing the way we reduce waste

By The Associated Press
Refilling a bottle instead of throwing it away has become a popular way for people to reduce waste — a small, tangible action in response to larger environmental problems. But whether refilling actually makes a difference depends on how these systems are used and what they replace. Scores of refill stores have opened in recent years as retailers and customers seek fresh ways to reduce waste. Some brands are also using specialized recycling programs for tricky packaging. At Lufka Refillable Zero Waste store in Tampa, customers bring in reusable containers to fill with soap, shampoo and cleaning supplies instead of buying products in single-use packaging. The idea is to cut down on packaging waste by reusing what people already own. Customers' containers are weighed first, then filled. They're charged by the amount of product added. Over time, that reuse can add up.
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