U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken and Representatives Collin Peterson and Tim Walz suggest it is time to bring in a “new high-level mediator” to help Moorhead-based American Crystal Sugar and union workers reach a deal. The four DFL members of Congress sent a letter to leaders on both sides of the yearlong labor dispute on Thursday.

Union officials quickly embraced the plan but management has stayed quiet. Dayton is urging both parties to resume negotiations and not stop -- except to eat and sleep -- until they can reach a deal.

American Crystal says the latest proposal from its workers includes none of the company's suggestions for ending the lockout that is approaching six months. Meanwhile, the company has posted help wanted ads for what it describes as "long-term temporary" workers.

An American Crystal Sugar Co. executive says the company’s replacement workers are handling this fall’s sugar beet harvest well, nearly 14 months after the company locked out its union workers in a contract dispute. Meanwhile, the company and workers are arguing in court over whether the employees should get unemployment benefits.

Union leaders and company executives returned to the bargaining table for the first time in more than two months, though they left again without a deal. WDAY reports Crystal Sugar is sticking with what it calls its final offer, but union workers are still worried about some of the contract's wording surrounding job security.

For the first time since February, talks to end a 9-month contract dispute are scheduled to resume on June 8. About 1,300 workers at Crystal plants in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa have been locked out since August.

Ten Democrats in the Legislature have introduced a bill that would prohibit government departments and agencies from buying sugar from American Crystal until the company resolves its dispute with union workers. More than 1,300 workers have been locked out since Aug. 1.