Locked-out workers and supporters converge on Minnesota town

[Starry Messenger]

http://peoplesworld.org/locked-out-workers-and-supporters-converge-on-minnesota-town/

CHASKA, Minn. - Locked out workers and their supporters from all over the Midwest were on the move yesterday.

The workers locked out from American Crystal Sugar's plant in Mason City, Iowa, traveled north to join the Journey for Justice entourage as it pulled into this Twin Cities suburb.

The rally they held here and a picket line brought together in one big crowd locked-out workers form five Crystal Sugar plants - Mason City, and four Minnesota plants: Chaska, Moorhead, Hillsboro and Drayton - as well as locked-out workers from Cooper Tire in Findlay, Ohio.

<snip>

"You have lockouts going on all over for the same reason you have right-to-work-for-less laws being pushed in the states. They want to take advantage of the economic climate and use it to cut pay and benefits and to destroy unions," Greer said.

[mitchtv]

1. K&R

we must support Labor

[Starry Messenger]

2. Hey Brother!

Yes, we must.

[TBF]

6. Solidarity. nt

[seattleblah]

3. As always

You can't beat the people!

[Starry Messenger]

5. If it isn't worker controlled, than how is farmer-controlled socialist?

When the conflict is owners vs. labor, the owners will assert their need for profit over labor.

Which party elite are you referring to?

[TBF]

7. Thanks MikeOlsen,

the blurb I found on opensecrets to start with:

American Crystal Sugar

American Crystal Sugar is an agricultural cooperative founded in 1899 that produces and processes sugar and sugar beets. The company has for decades maintained an active political action committee, routinely spending between $300,000 and $600,000 each election cycle through the early 2000s. In recent years, however, American Crystal Sugar PAC expenditures have grown exponentially, reaching $2.1 million during the 2008 election cycle. The company's PAC generally directs more of its money to Democratic candidates than Republican candidates. Also in recent years, the company has increased its federal lobbying expenditures significantly, spending between $1 million and $2 million in 2008 and 2009.

http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?id=D000000219

I'll have to do more research, but you've certainly got my attention. We know corruption is rampant and that capitalism only encourages these behaviors in the quest for never-ending profit. And we know both parties are involved in that, no argument from me on that.

I'm confused as Starry is, though, on what "Cooperative" means here - because when I look at this company it has SEC filings, shareholders, and 1300+ union workers who are negotiating a contract. They are not negotiating with themselves, obviously, so I'm thinking this is a "coop" in name only.

Help me out here.

[socialist_n_TN]

8. A couple of observations here. First........

These guys are spending beaucoup bucks on political lobbying and yet they're locking out the workers? That shows their priorities right there, co-op or no co-op, Dem supporters GENERALLY, or not.

The second observation is that possibly it is a co-op of OWNERS, not workers. True, the owners might have started as small farmers banding together to gain more clout, IN 1899, but when they start HIRING workers they're not much better than the capitalists. If any better. That old "looks like a duck" cliche.

[TBF]

9. Yup, it is sort of like the "organic food" thing -

some organically grown food is fantastic ... but there are others that will slap the label on just about anything and if it's not certified you have no idea what they're doing. In this case unless our correspondent can prove otherwise I think we are most definitely looking at a "coop of owners". At some point that small group of farmers turned into a corporation ...

Here is the 10K if anyone has insomnia tonight: http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/4828/000110465911066010/a11-28707_110k.htm (2011 SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE is on page 43)

CEO's total compensation package: 2,438,775 (while he's locking workers out...)

[Odin2005]

10. My dad is one of the workers and he was there!

[Starry Messenger]

11. Odin!

I was hoping you'd see this. I remember you said that your dad was one of the locked-out workers.

[TBF]

12. Excellent!

Anything you can share with us about his experience?