Is Crystal Sugar heading for labor impasse Aug. 1?
July 23, 2011 at 7:12 pm in Grand Forks Herald
Is American Crystal Sugar Co. headed for a lockout with its 1,300 union employees on Aug. 1? Or will the last-minute brinksmanship end in an agreement? It’s too soon to say, but union officials say time is running short to replace the co-op’s seven-year labor contract. Continue Reading
The tax rate for the rich is the lowest in 50 years. Were the millionaires and billionaires starving when we had a surplus under Clinton? The republicans call the rich ‘job creators’-anyone believe that in the last 10 years? Seems to me the more tax cuts the less jobs and more jobs shipped overseas. It’s amazing how a few rich old republican white men can run this country by buying off politicians of both parties and buying an army of lobbyists. Me guess is people won’t wake up until SS and medicare gets cut-but it may be too late the
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What is worse even yet it is how they decided to make the public employee the bad guy to create a class war amongst members of the same group. Oh the public employee get paid too much and have to good of benefits and pensions they cry. Well it was not that long ago the public employees got less pay in lieu of good benefits. The change was not that their wages and benefits went up it is that everyone elses went down. They (the Republicans) succeded in that aspect so now they are after the public employees. While the middle and lower castes keep losing the upper castes keep getting better and richer. Now the Republicans have got the people they exploited to do their bidding for them. Hard to get any smarter than that. This qoute somewhat says it all, “Most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich, than face the reality of being poor.” So if the rich now should be called, and are called, “job creators” then should not the wrokers be called wealth creators? Without the workers under the Republican ideology there would be no way for the “job creators” to make money. Therein lies the problem with the Republican ideology. The rich to not get richer from employing more people. The get rich from investing money and earning money that is only subject to capital gain taxes. If they are really “job creators” where are the jobs that they created? Since the Bush tax cuts in 1991 there was no job growth. So continuing the tax cuts on the “job creators” will not create anymore jobs. It will simply fill the pockets of the “job creators” even more. Republican state legislatues campaigned on creating jobs all over the country. Though they have not really done anything there since they have been only creating new social policy issues instead. Why not do what they campaigned on? Simply because they have no idea how to. Even in North Dakota the Republicans take credit for the great economic state we are in compared to others. I did not know that the Republicans put the oil in the ground, what 65 million years ago? Their policies had nothing to do with the present situation. They they sure like to take credit for it though.
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How do either of the first two posts relate to the potential American Crystal strike?
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Well because the Union is striking because they are getting more taken away from them. But public information was released Sunday that the CEO of American Crystal sugar got a 110% pay increase from 2010 to 2011. So to their points above, the rich get richer and the working force gets more taken away because times are tough!! STOP DEFENDING THESE RICH PEOPLE!!!!!
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For JohnB and the nine people who agree with the JohnB your agreeing says it all. The Republican goal is to destroy the middle-class in America. The workers of Crystal Sugar are the midle-class. Now can you see the relationship through the FauxNews blinders?
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Hey republicans-Looks like those union thugs are making way to much cash nowadays huh? Heck they might even get a new used car every 10 years. Yup those Crystal sugar workers are sure living high on the hog.
Are you other blue collar republicans jealous because the Crystal sugar folks get some bennies? Like to bring them down to your level. Why not go the other direction and get what they fought for. The republicans just love to get labor at each others throats. Unfortunately they have succeeded with their lies and distortions. Don’t be fooled any longer. There is nothing wrong with a living wage.
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Great post, Jeff. Without unions, we wouldn’t have the 40-hour work week (people died for that one), or workplace safety, or any benefits at all. While we see consistently that the richest keep getting richer, where will our nation go without a viable middle class? Someday, you know, the upper levels will realize that they don’t need all the paper pushers in the middle and whammo, you’ll wish you had a union.
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The disappearence of the mid-level worker is alread becoming a reality. There are scores of mid- level workers on unemployment, many whose benefits have expired and are off the radar of our unemployment figures. They just are counted anymore because they are considered to be out of the job market. This usually happens about two years after becoming unemployed, exhausting unemployment benefits, and not finding work.
Unions are responsible for many advances in worker rights, pay, safety etc… I’ve also seen the darker side of a Union so I do have mixed feelings about them, but there’s no denying the history of Unions and the improvements they fought for and gained. Every worker in the US, regardless of Union membership, benefits from these improvements.
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Jeffh, It is a big mistake on the part of organized labor to tie itself to one political party, Democrat. You can not afford to have 50% alienated by your union’s political affiliation can you? Because of your unions involvement in politics contrary to my beliefs, I will always support the anti-union side. Very stupid on the part of unions because I am not alone!
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What has the republican party done for labor? Nothing-That’s why labor goes Democratic. It’s real easy to figure that one out-unless your trying not to. Sheesh
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johnb, What is the difference of the Union people supporting Democrat, and you supporting everything anti-Union? Is this the kettle calling the pot………?
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Tom Hanks the difference is I am not asking for your affirmation or support. Because of your unions marriage with the Democrat Party, many will take out their anger with the Democrat Party and transfer those feelings to your picketers. Too bad perhaps unfair, but you will not get a warm response from the public!
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The Republican party has done a very good job in the past of pretending to support the working man, but it hasn’t actually done that. In fact, recently, with the ultra conservatives winning big in the 2010 election we see some really radical anti-worker legislation being passed. The Democrats have always supported workers in my memory. If you chose to go with Republicans do so knowing they are very political with their use of money. You can’t fault only the Dems for that. I suspect most workers who are Repubicans have other reasons to vote that way than how the GOP treats labor-related issues.
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I don’t know maybe not at all, but I do find it interesting that a lot of the farmer/growers who own stock in AC are doing quite well themselves and are probably Republicans. Some of them might consider this biting the hand that feeds.
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1300 hundred people are about to lose their jobs!!! I need to point out, that the story about the Company’s offer of a 1.25% raise increase is for a period duration of 5 years…that’s 20 cents a year, while the Company’s execs have a high “atta-boy-award” wage for them! The cost of living goes up yearly! And what about our health care & our families?! You don’t care? What the Union is asking for us is tiddlywinks! For all the worker’s hard work, sweat and tears…the Company has put on the table a rediculous”40 page” document like a slap in the face! They say they want to leave the bargaining on the table…ya think? Of Course! The Company doesn’t want “it out there” on the exec salaries and so on! It’s about Good Ol’ Company greed and leaving us, the hard workers, to the way-side, bottom line. The Company wants the old contract to expire, period! The Company then wants to have personnel working at entry level wages taking over the current employee’s jobs that have busted their butts, sacrificed time away from their families and earned every penny of their current wage. It’s the Company being false in what they are announcing to the public all the while manifesting this greedy overtake and unjustly at that. There has been no such threat from the Union whatsoever of a strike! The Company is not being honest and has not returned to the Bargaining Table themselves in hopes of seeing the expiration of the current contract go through to complete their greedy overtake. Do not let the Company fool you with their untruths! The UNION Worker’s want to work; not to have hardship as is what the Company’s pulling! The Union wants a fair contract to happen! What is written in Sunday’s GF Herald paper (July 24, 2011) is true! The Union is fighting for lives & livelihoods, while Crystal Sugar is operating illegally, unfairly, talking dishonest, and could care less about the current workers who have helped make what Crystal Sugar is today!!! A Farmer in one statement said. “The Workers have sure picked a good time to walk out”. THAT IS NOT THE CASE AT ALL! THE COMPANY IS NOT COMING TO THE TABLE! THE TRUTH IS, THEY WANT THE CURRENT CONTRACT TO EXPIRE, PERIOD! The Farmers have been so mislead! The Company’s GREED is the core, bottom line, and they are masking the truth by saying it’s the worker’s WHEN IT IS NOT! WE WANT A FAIR CONTRACT, share the wealth if you will, and not to lose our jobs! We want to work and have not ever said different, contrary to what the Company is misleading to the public! Our Families are suffering with this mental and emotional turmoil. They’ve had this plan in the cards. Let’s be honest, now. Crystal Sugar, be honest! Save our jobs, save our wages, and save our health! The Company has been profitable because of us, the Union Worker’s! Be Honorable & Be Fair! Come to the Table and meet with a “Fair Contract!” Tell the Farmers the truth! They are proud of what we do! We are proud of what we do! Crystal Sugar, Aren’t you proud of us, too?
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The only thing the farmer cares about is whether he’ll be able to haul his beets and get his check. You think the guy who doesn’t pay a living wage or overtime to his own employees cares about you? Think again.
Well-loved. Like or Dislike:
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You say the company’s greed is at the core. Who owns the company? Growers. The same people you say are being misled. Don’t be so sure about that. Farmers are the most fiercely independant (subsidy checks not withstanding) breed out there and no one, I mean no one works harder or does more for less (their opinion). Certainly there are some humble hardworking farmers out there. Those aren’t the ones driving brand new $50K pickups or shiney new equipemnt or driving to the lake home on the weekends. There’s a lot of class rivalry between farmers themselves, with the sugar beet boys on the top of the heap.
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While I’m speaking about class rivalry between farmers I might as well mention the fact that it takes either a lot of money or old money to be a sugar beet grower. It’s an exclusive club my friends, and unless your daddy bought into the club a long time ago or you’ve got some really heavy financial backing, you’re never going to get a foot in the door. Farmers who don’t grow suger beets have had to put up sugar beet growers approaching their landlords with offers of more $$ per acre. What does this create? A situation where the rent gets jacked up and the farmer who doesn’t grow beets (i.e. doesn’t make as much money) can’t afford to renew when the lease is up, thus it goes to the sugar beet grower. Sugar beet farmers are renting land miles from their home territory; land that was once farmed by a local. There’s also the absentee landlord who doesn’t give a rip about who rents his land as long as he’s getting the best dollar per acre. Ten years from now farms of less that 2000 acres will cease to exist, unless the farmer owns all his acres. Speculators, who have no connection to the land, are now purchasing farm ground. Rented acres will be governed by huge corporate farms, most of which (in the Vally) will be growing sugar beets. The traditional way of life on the farm is on it’s last breath. It’s business and it’s about profit. The governemnt isn’t going to keep making disaster payments forever, or even subsidy payments. If a farmer can’t make it on his own he’s going to be sidelined. I understand that it’s nice to get a cost of living increase but I imagine in the next few years we all ought to be happy we have a job period. It’s going to get ugly out there and the various confrontations we’ve seen between governments, companies, and unions is just the beginning. The economy is not favorable to the worker. There’s an excess of available workers right now so corporate America can have his way with them. I wish the union workers at AC the best of luck. I think the battle has just begun.
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While the farmers take their government welfare checks every year they want the working people’s wages cut so they can make more? http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=38035&progcode=totalfarm®ionname=GrandForksCounty,NorthDakota Shows all the subsidies that have been paid to farmers in Grand Forks County, many are sugar beat farmers.
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The sugar program is considered a no cost program since the new farm bill. So how are the Sugar Beet Farmers getting subsidies from sugar beets? http://farm.ewg.org/progdetail.php?fips=00000&progcode=sugarbeet I will use your same website to prove my point not that they couldn’t get a subsidy for a different crop, but we are talking about sugar beets here right?
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And exactly where did I say they got their welfare checks for sugar beets? Hmm no where I guess. The point for the slow ones is that they get a lot of tax dollars, which many workers at Crystal paid, in welfare.
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Emotions are running high on this topic. From the sound of things American Crystal seems to be prepared for the upcomming labor dispute, perhaps management is worth the extra money!
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I wonder how the ACS shareholders can look their neighbor ACS workers in the eye. This is truly class warfare you are seeing. You can bet union busting lawyers are in on this.
To those who are anti union-what do you think the workers at ACS would be making an hour without union backing? How much larger is the gap between workers and management from just the start of the Bush administration? All that ok with you? Remember the song-I Owe My Soul To The Company Store-16 Ton? You anti union republicans want to leave it up to the good hearted corporation-trust them-they will pay you a fair wage. Ha! Child labor-no days off a week-16 hour days-no health plan-no retirement plan. All these had to be fought for-people died at the hands of company hired thugs. It’s all in the history books folks-read it before they change the words.
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With record unemployment, American Crystal has a strong hand to play. Perhaps your union should encourage its’ members to ratify a contract and save their job! There will be no broad based support for strikers!
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Yes-Work for minimum wage until the republicans take that away too. I mean after all-theirs record unemployment-time to increase the fat cats slice of the pie.
Remember to vote republican-because we care
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johnb, Please tell me why would the Union ratify their contract?
Is AC making less money?, NO
Is sugar beet farms slowing down?, NO
Why would they do this? Because the economy is bad?
The economy is bad everywhere, and the rich guys at the top are making record profits!!
Why do people like you think this is ok?!!!!!!!!!
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I would guess without union backing they would make what they are worth. Sorry I was told you had to go to college and work hard. At my job there is no way I would get a 4-5 percent raise a year if I didn’t earn it. The union wants these raises guaranteed just for not getting fired.
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http://farm.ewg.org/top_recips.php?fips=38035&progcode=totalfarm®ionname=GrandForksCounty,NorthDakota
Check this welfare site out for farmers. Some real staunch republicans on this list. The same republicans who voted for Berg and Hoeven to fight against labor unions. See how it works folks? They want you to think unions are bad because people are just trying to make a living wage. Check out these welfare checks written out to these rich republican farmers. I wonder how long it will be before there is a republican bill to abolish this web site? What hypocrites. My heart aches for the ACS workers.
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I understand that there are union and non-union backers in this community. Everybody is entitled to their own beliefs. One thing people outside of ACS don’t know is that the company has brought in people from outside our communtity to take over for the current employees at ACS. They are being trained at the Alerus Center right now. Many of these people are not the kind of people you would want for your next door neighbor. Their kids will be going to school with your kids. Once they come here to work we will be stuck with them. Many of them will not have the money to leave our community if they only work a week or two and quit becasue the working conditions at the factory are not ideal. Many people in our community have tried working there and only make it a day or two and quit. Think about this before you criticize the people that have worked there thirty plus years and put up with the crap those men and women have to put up with day after day.
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tj, AC will not be caught with its pants down this time. Management is doing its job protecting the owners interests! The union is protecting the employees interests????
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Oh my God. I can’t believe I just read that. Their kids will be going to school with out kids? Really? That is so backward thinking. It’s that sort of mentality that causes our educated young people to leave Grand Forks and North Dakota as a whole. The world is really a lot bigger than you so get used to it.
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Sorry johnb. I was responding to tj’s comment.
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No, what causes our young educated people to leave this community and this state, is the FACT that if they go to any other state to work the same job they would work in our community, they would increase their income by over 30%. Here broke, there good living. But make sure you defend the rich at ACS, and knock down the union every chance you get, that will improve our problem of losing our young educated people, after we educated them in high quality schools and colleges!
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Try reading all my posts and you might really know how I think. I was responding to backward thinking. Yes, money is a part of why our young people leave. So is backward thinking.
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@tj- I do have to agree that working at the factories is not easy work. The smell alone would do me in. I worked nearby to the EGF factory and there are times it’s almost unbearable. I do give the workers credit for sticking with it. They probably wouldn’t have were they not being well compensated. So you are on point with that portion of your post.
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Well, according to the latest news ACS has offered quite an upgraded package compared to just a couple days ago. Much better than most of the working class ever sees from their employers. I honestly didn’t believe that would cross such a huge divide from 1.25% a year to 4,3,2,2,&2 plus better than 80% health care coverage. Never forget to add in the benefits. My benefit package is worth around $7k a year. That’s a lot of $$ I wouldn’t be able to pay out of my own pocket on my hourly wage. Looks like a good deal to me but we’ll have to see if the Union members find a devil in the details.
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jscar, the problem with people like you is, first your mad because the union gets better benefits than you, than they make better money than you. But where the problem comes in from you and people like you, instead of being smart and trying to better your life with, oh I don’t know, JOIN A UNION! your solution is to make sure to voice against them, because if you don’t get it, they shouldn’t get it, right?
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Gosh, I didn’t know I was voicing agaisnt the union. I was just saying I thought it sounded like a pretty good package considering what non-union employees make. As for being smart and bettering my life I thought I was considering I’ll be earning a business degree this year at age 50. I should have joined a union instead. Guess I’ve just wasted a ton of money.
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Oh ya. I support myself by working full time and believe it or not I make too much money to get any sort of educational grants so I’m footing the entire bill for my education. I’m 17 years from retirement. Do you suppose I’ll ever be able to earn a return on the investment I’ve made in my education over the past few years? Maybe I have it all wrong.
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Well sorry, but YOUR career choices, were in fact YOUR choices!
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I don’t want to see our community turned into another Pelican Rapids which would happen very easily if the wrong people are brought here to fill in for the current workers. Jump all over me if you want to but that is how I feel.
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You have a right to your opinion. I just think school is where children belong regardless of what sort of family they come from. That child sitting next to yours in the class room, that child who maybe didn’t get breakfast because her mother couldn’t afford to buy groceries or maybe just didn’t bother to feed her might, just might, through a good education and the example of others, be able to one day lift herself up out of the cycle of poverty to become your doctor or lawyer in 20 years. Building fences doesn’t work.
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jscar, I agree with you here on this one, but how is it right to be training these immigrants in our town to take the place of ACS employees? Instead of giving these current workers a comfortable living, they and you think its ok to just get rid of them and hire other people that will come in at a HUGE decrease in cost! What will this do for our community? How can anyone see this as the right thing to do? Very frustrating times, IMO.
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Where have you read that I’m anit-union? Tell me. You have obviously not been reading my posts.
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Who are the wrong people? Hispanics? Democrats? Red haired folk? Scandinavians? Just wondering who this population of bogeymen are that I should be afraid of ruining the community.
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I will admit that I am anti-union. which should be no surprise from my posts. Non compromising unions drove our auto industry into oblivion. The UAW was so difficult for Damler a German company to deal with that they sold Chrysler. Our schools are hostage to a very powerful teachers union. It is time for corporations and tax payers to take this country back!!!,
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You’ve made some valid points. This is the darker side of unions I mentioned earlier. They can become their own worst enemy, and everyone else’s while they’re at it. It is a delicate balancing act.
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Wow. Time for corporations to take the country back? Don’t they already run things? We have the greatest concentration of wealth in the hands of the fewest people we have seen since the 1890s. Corporations basically tell lawmakers how it is going to be. You have got to be kidding me.
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On July 30, 2011 at 10:08 PM
Well congrats folks, you have them on the ropes. 17% pay increase over five years wasn’t enough? How many people are unemployed in this country? If you earn $65,000 now, that means with in five years you would be at a little over $76,000. Well that’s a bit better then the pizza maker at the local c store, but how can one live on that. l totally understand not wanting to pay for insurance, I as being self employed, and paying my own insurance would love to have it payed for me. Well it is just too bad we live in a right to work state, and not and entitled to works state, this whole thing may have just worked out. Well there will be a lot of beet trucking jobs in a month or two, but I am sure you guys will be to busy holding your signs in front of the plants.
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By the way, I haven’t heard a thing from Conrad, Peterson, Franken, Eliason, or Amy K. I was expecting them to be on the front lines with the union folk, maybe they got more from the Red River Valley Sugar Growers, PAC money, then the union, doubtful but who knows, its big business and all.
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