Update: Amoroso Set To Resume Deliveries

PHILADELPHIA - The dispute involving Amoroso's and the Teamsters will head to court, as bread deliveries were set to resume on Monday.

A union spokesman confirmed to Fox 29 that picket lines are down and a court hearing could be soon about the Monday morning's labor action.

The spokesman confirmed an injunction was filed by Amoroso's against the union.

Leonard Amoroso Jr., President & CEO, Amoroso's Baking Company, said in a statement on Monday morning that he had filed a federal injunction.

"Of our 75 drivers, only a dozen are participating in the picket," Amaroso said. "The rest of the men are here hoping they can get to work to deliver our product to the customers on their routes - the sandwich and hoagie shops throughout the region - who depend on the breads for their own businesses."

Drivers at Amoroso’s bakery picketed the maker of cheesesteak and hoagie rolls on Monday morning, raising questions about the action will affect Philadelphians devoted to the popular sandwiches.

Amoroso’s just isn’t any bakery. It’s been around for more than 100 years and is a major supplier of rolls to Wawa, Aramark, local grocery chains, and such popular steak joints as Jim’s and Pat’s, and Slack’s hoagies.

Amoroso also employs about 300 people in Philadelphia.

The union action is about Amoroso’s decision to change its distribution system to driver-owned routes, similar to how Tasty Baking distributes products.

Teamsters Local 463 was picketing at the bakery at 55th and Baltimore streets in West Philadelphia.

The change in the delivery system has been in the works for months, with Amoroso telling as many as 75 drivers they would need to buy their routes, for about $100,000, and pay for their own health-care and driving costs.

The union president says that Sunday was the last day to buy a route. If you didn't, you were out.

Len Amoroso told the Philadelphia Inquirer on June 9th he had "sold or committed" contracts for 62 routes for Teamsters drivers.

The action didn’t affect the bakery, but just one look at a store locator on the Amoroso Web site will show you, by zip code, how many people eat Amoroso rolls every day.

http://amorosobaking.com/consumer/store-locator.aspx

Another question is how Philadelphians, who are mostly pro-union, will deal with a situation where other-brand rolls could be used on sandwiches.