Sugar workers fear lockout in Red River Valley (1,500 workers in 3 states)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Workday Minnesota


EAST GRAND FORKS - Some 1,500 workers at American Crystal Sugar Company facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa may be locked out of their jobs next week if no contract agreement is reached, union leaders said. The Minnesota AFL-CIO has launched an online petition to support the workers.

“The company began speaking about a lockout last year and has been preparing for it ever since,” said John Riskey, president of Local 167G of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers Union and a member of the union negotiating team.

“They had absolutely no intention of negotiating a new contract in good faith. And that is illegal,” he said.

Last week, BCTGM Locals 167G, 372G, 265G, 267G and 269G filed unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that American Crystal Sugar is failing to negotiate in good faith and is threatening workers with a potential lockout.



Read more: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4939

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American Crystal Sugar workers operate the assembly line to package sugar at the Moorhead plant.

Workday Minnesota file photo

See the FULL story at link.

[iwishiwas]

1. I recall the first time I ever saw the sugar beets piled high

along the Red River. I saw them from the ND side and I thought they were coal piles. High dark hills.


Anyway that was a long time ago.

[Brickbat]

2. I LOVE Crystal Sugar and wrote an angry letter last week. No reply, of course. There's a petition

for those who are interested:

http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567

[FreakinDJ]

3. Must be Time to Cut Wages

just like Clockwork, every 10 years we have a Corporate Induced Recession and the corresponding Wage Cuts for the working class

[Odin2005]

4. My dad works at the Moorhead plant. He is PISSED at Management right now!

GO UNION!!!

[Odin2005]

5. KICK

[Bozita]

6. Solidarnosc!

[boppers]

7. Lots more details here:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/210732/group/homepage/

Much more (ahem) "granular".