Crystal Sugar CEO compares locked-out workers to cancerous tumor

[marmar]

from the UFCW:



Crystal Sugar CEO compares locked-out workers to cancerous tumor
30 November 2011


MOORHEAD - The already strained relationship between management of American Crystal Sugar Company and its 1,300 locked-out workers was dealt another serious blow when recordings of anti-worker statements by President and CEO Dave Berg were made public this week.

In a meeting of Crystal Sugar shareholders on Nov. 7 in Grafton, ND, Berg likened the workers to a 21-pound cancerous tumor. According to an audio recording of the meeting, Berg told the story of a sick friend who was diagnosed with cancer and had a massive tumor removed. “That’s a scary deal. He was sick for a long time,” said Berg. “We can't let a labor contract make us sick forever and ever and ever. We have to treat the disease and that’s what we’re doing here."

Workers, who have been locked out of their jobs since Aug. 1, have responded with disappointment and outrage.

Sarah Gust, who has worked at Crystal Sugar for 40 years, remarked, “The fact that Dave Berg would refer to our union, our contract as a cancerous tumor is deeply offensive to me and many of my co-workers. Some of us have had cancer or have lost loved ones to cancer. It’s a tragic, devastating disease. And that’s how Crystal Sugar management sees our union. I tell you, this just shows how much respect Dave Berg and the management have for us workers.” .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_5068

[gratuitous]

1. According to DUer sentiment I've read here

The workers are probably a bunch of overpaid millionaire fatcats anyway, so it's appropriate to invoke a pox on both their houses, employer and employees alike.

OR . . .

We could again decide that perhaps working people aren't the problem here. There's a perfectly valid contract in place, but Dave Berg has decided that he's not making enough money, or he didn't hire good enough attorneys to represent his interests, or he's a complete jerk, or some combination thereof, and he's decided to padlock the company doors. That contract between American Crystal and the union representing American Crystal's employees didn't just materialize out of thin air; it was negotiated and bargained between Berg and the union. If Berg wrote himself a bad deal, then he needs to suck it up. Honor your contractual commitments - commitments you freely agreed to - and open the factory, asshole.

[kickysnana]

2. Damn, they could have been my inlaws. n/t