American Crystal Sugar plant workers reject contract yet again

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Dec 1, 2012

American Crystal Sugar Co. workers rejected a company contract offer for the fourth time in a Saturday vote, Forum reports.

The workers have been locked out of their jobs for 16 months amid a contract dispute over salary and benefits. Union officials said Saturday night that 55 percent of workers voted to reject management's offer, which is down from 63 percent in a vote this past summer. Ninety-six percent rejected the offer 16 months ago. Here's the company's version of history of the contract talks.

Here's what the company had to say in a release Saturday:

"It is a solid and generous package, similar to what we are offering our current employees, and we’re finding the pay and benefits included in it are attracting high quality area workers who are now creating a productive and successful new workforce for our Company. The Company continues to move forward and focus on running our business, processing beets and delivering sugar to our customers."

It's been one of the longest work stoppages in Minnesota history, the Star Tribune notes.

Moorhead-based Crystal Sugar is the nation's largest beet sugar producer.

DONTCHA KNOW?

BMTN Newsletters Deliver The Biggest MN Stories

Get Our Newsletter

Bite Squad

Bite Squad was founded in Minneapolis in 2012.

Cracked windshield

Unless it's obstructing your vision, police need another reason to pull you over.

Normandale Community College

Another faculty member was also assaulted as he tried to intervene.

gas pump

It happened at a Quik Stop on Lexington Avenue.

2017-06-16 Eaux Claires music-Darin Kamnetz-159

Music and Radio

The popular event in Wisconsin attracts many music fans from across the border.

Screen Shot 2018-12-12 at 11.39.44 AM

John Lundahl died on Tuesday night, his brother said.

Screen Shot 2018-12-12 at 10.57.09 AM

Tom Schneider died suddenly on Saturday at the age of 55.

Blake Cashman

Blake Cashman and Donnell Green have decided to focus on their future.

Screen Shot 2018-12-12 at 7.41.21 AM

The video was shared thousands of times on various social media platforms.

Mike Zimmer

Corri Zimmer called out internet trolls who ridicule Mike Zimmer.

US Bank Stadium outdoors

All reasonable offers considered.

Screen Shot 2018-12-12 at 7.39.44 AM

The slick roads are causing crashes and spinouts along I-94.

Locked-out union employees at American Crystal Sugar Co. Saturday said no for the third time in nearly a year to their company's contract offer. The union says 63 percent of the union's 1,300 worker membership voted against the offer. The workers have been locked out of plants in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa since last August.

Locked-out American Crystal Sugar workers in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa are soon going to vote on a company offer for the third time in less than a year. The vote, set for June 23, comes after failed talks last week between the company and the workers' union. American Crystal Sugar said this is their final offer.

Locked-out union workers from American Crystal Sugar will try once more to resolve its differences with company owners when it votes on a contract proposal Saturday. The workers, locked out of plants in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa for nearly a year, have overwhelmingly rejected two previous contract offers.