Franken: Crystal lockout may jeopardize sugar program (video)
January 10, 2012 at 12:45 pm in Grand Forks Herald
After a “very emotional and very difficult” Tuesday meeting with about 70 American Crystal Sugar Co. employees in Grand Forks, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said he is “not totally pessimistic” that a new development could end the lockout. Continue Reading
It would be nice if we could keep our comments civil this time. I went back and read a bunch of my old ones and I am completely embarrassed and ashamed of myself. Thank god nobody knows who I really am.
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This is an interesting article and interview. It is rather amazing that the Herald staff was able to get a US senator to open up like that.
The only real trouble that I have with Sen. Franken and this piece is that this will not help settle the lockout. When you admit that you have only heard 1 side of the story but you want to talk about it anyway, you are not a “facilitator,” you are an “instigator.” This would appear to be another blown opportunity for a polititian to do the right thing instead of creating a media event at the expense of the people involved.
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I agree compeletly ots! When people are passionate, emotion takes over and the truth gets destorted. Franken would hear a completely different side if he met with the growers, which would be destorted from our emotion in this.
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This story’s headline will surely get people in the region talking. I’m sure a LOT of the conversations will start out something like this:
“Did you hear? Al Franken says the lockout has created impending an unavoidable doom for the sugar program!…..”
I think Mr. Franken DOES need to hear all sides of the issue. Since this whole thing began, there have been quite a few emotional posts in every thread topic that has come up. Imagine if John Q. Public read the article(s) first, and then clicked on the “talk about it” links to get more information. Imagine if, since Day 1, the ONLY information available to John Q. Public on the message boards consisted of emotional posts from one side.
Imagine if NONE of the links to actual documents, websites, quotes, etc. posted by folks wanting to get verifiable information out there existed, and instead all John Q. Public had at his disposal to help him form an opinion were emotion-filled stories?
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“John Q. Public” frankly doesn’t care about this non-issue anymore.
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I think Sen. Franken’s motives are honorable, but, he really can’t help. He didn’t say those words, but it’s pretty obvious. The false hope he might be creating is likely doing damage. It’s scary, but he’s practically blaming the company for the end to the sugar program. Changing the subject, I wish the locked out employees could force the union to have a weekly vote. This lockout is locked up. I, too, wish this could stay civil. I suppose that’s asking too much of us.
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Between working in an ER and studying history, I have to be one of the most cynical people around. I admit that. I think I have forgotten how to give someone the benefit of the doubt.
I like Franken, but he is what he is: a liberal Democrat beholden to labor. He is not an objective spokesperson. The farm bill would be and is in deep trouble because of forces he outlined: an increase in free market types in congress; this labor dispute is a complete sideshow.
Franken will vote for the farm bill regardless of how the ACS dispute turns out. So will the other AG state legislators. Those that were set to oppose it due to philosophical grounds will still oppose it whether there is a deal or not. This issue is bigger than the RRV and its personal problems. Of course the lockout has been devistating to the workers. That is what happens when you give up a good paycheck.
I view this as another attempt by the union to pull whatever strings they can to get ACS to cave on seniority and outsourcing. Nothing more, nothing less.
Without the farm bill life in the RRV will undergo significant change, but when all is said and done, we will still be here. This is not an life ending asteroid hit. We made a living before the farm bill, we will make a living after its gone.
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http://acsccontracttalks.com/dayton.pdf
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Does he not have “Federal” issues to be focusing on as opposed to worrying about private businesses and their dealings?
I’m sure the economical fate of the nation doesnt hinge on American Crystal Sugar.
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as it is now there is still workers working in the factories. if something were to cause the sugar program to fail there would be in range of 3000 jobs lost up and down the valley alone, in range of 20,000 nationwide. don’t forget about the other sugar factories that operate in the U.S. that would be effected. Farmers hire workers to help with the crop. workers process the sugar, many more involved in management, other sources. plus the ones that transport the sugar, pulp, molassas to it’s destination. ranchers, pet food companies buy the beet pulp for its nutrition value. Do you think they would want to do something that would cause an overall employment loss in this county. The program sustains employment, provides a safe, reliable sugar supply in the U.S. and is the only no cost program in the farm bill.
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well hopefully the secret meeting with the company and the union goes well today
no negotiating in the meeting though
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Frank; I keep hearing about “secret” meetings going on…I also saw on facebook a few weeks ago that negotiations were happening…I hope this is true, because the factories are over half way through this campaign…projected to be done in April…My fear is that if an agreement does not happen this month there won’t be any hope of going back to work until fall….I personally think we are at a complete stall….hoping I am wrong.
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kassie: I’ve been hoping something would break for you by now. I hate that you want to go to work and can only wait, wait, wait. I have no horse in this race, but I hate what you are going through, and what your ill-advised co-workers are going through.
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Thank you Alvin…I guess it is out of our hands and all we can do is wait and hope that this comes to a settlement…I am doing well; thankfully my home is paid for and I do have a part time job…I can’t imagine how hard it would be if I had a house payment and a car payment…I just don’t understand much of it anymore..even the union employees don’t seem to know what it is about…I believe it is in the National unions hands now, and they are running their own agenda.
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democrats and top union officials are in bed with each other. All franken came here to do is drum up votes for the democratic party and mark froemke gave him a perfect opportunity to capitolize on the crystal sugar lockout. Everyone should know by now that a single politician or a couple of them can’t do anything. its just a good photo op
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I think the Lockout has a lot more to do with where unions see themselves (on the defensive) Nationally than it does about the Local Union Workers.
Sen. Franken is out for one ting: he had marching orders from National Union Leaders. Nothing a Republican wouldn’t have done for a major constituent.
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The media shouldn’t even cover this non story anymore. Franken is a Democrat. He’s required to bring this issue up, a scare tactic.
Yes, I agree. Let’s keep this civil.
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“Franken is a Democrat”
Which is why the Herald ran this story.
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al frankin should read this
http://acsccontracttalks.com/dayton.pdf
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Senator Franken does not have the clout or the power to take the sugar program out of the farm bill. Maybe he should go back to stand up, wait- this statment if more funny.
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It’s way past time for American companies to go to the plate and sink or swim on thier own merits.
Sure, the automakers were bailed out, but these farm subsidies have been going on for decades for no real reason.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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http://acsccontracttalks.com/dayton.pdf
they have met with him and also wrote him a letter that you can see
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One thing many lose sight of is the rich fertile soil of the region. Then look at world populations. The demand for food is and will, continue to increase. Those who can supply food stuffs are the ones who will be able to command the highest prices. If sugar beets lose their value, as a cash crop, okay. So be it. That doesn’t destroy the value of the nutrients in the Red River Valley soil content.
One thing the government has to get out of is ethanol subsidies. As to sugar, those too might be better taken away. Farmers would just switch to a different crop. Again, let me reiterate, food demand isn’t dropping.
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Al Franken is but one Senator. Their are 100 out there. What he is saying is. You may not get a majority to back the sugar program with out the Union supporting it. A lot of companys would love to remove price supports for sugar. Reducing the cost to their company. A lot of these companys have, you guessed it, Unions.
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After the BTCGM failed them, the members should seriously consider decertifying that union.
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Joseph; I agree with you the BCTGM should be decertified…..I am hearing more discontent among union employees every day… At the very least the next vote (if and when there is one) should be sanctioned by the NLRB.
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kassie,
I have a solution for your dilemma. Why don’t you decertify yourself by quitting ACS and then reapply? You won’t have the union to contend with and you can have your job back.
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The link to the ACS letter to Dayton posted above speaks volumes. Full of interesting things like dates, facts and figures.
The absence of links to similar material from the other side has been, (and continues to be), glaringly apparent.
Of course, perhaps NOT producing verifiable information and links of their own could be *somewhat* overlooked if they instead took the information the company has provided and did a point-by-point, line-by-line, item-by-item rebuttal OF that information.
Not….holding…my….breath.
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The written word, provided by ACSC on a website they own, adds much credibility (in my mind) to what is shared. If any of this information can be shown to be untruthful, the public opinion of the company woiuld be greatly damaged. So far, I haven’t seen any attempt to refute anything posted there.
KVLY had an interview with pickers that said that ACSC is now refusing to negotiate, even when the request to negotiate is made through the federal mediator. I don’t know if that is true. If the union stated that in a press release, it would carry much more weight.
ACSC has done a good job of providing detailed facts to support their position. Lacking any rebuttal or opposing facts, I’m left to give much more value to what ACSC is sharing.
The one thing I do believe….. I don’t know what REALLY is going on and neither do most/all people who post on this site, write letter to the editor or are interviewed on radio/TV. That can be frustrating, but doing all negotations in the public isn’t the best answer either.
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And then last night and this morning….. Report from ACSC that they have always been willing to negotiate if approached by the mediator and still haven’t heard from the mediator. Sounds like they likely will soon based on the union’s statements that they have put in an official request with the mediator for new negotiations.
Not hard to believe that the gossip heard on the picket line might not be 100% true.
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I noticed that Hostess Brands just filed Chapter 11 again, I know that the BCTGM has some of the locals involved. I wonder what concessions they will have to accept and how many of the 20,000 workers belong to the same union.
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http://acsccontracttalks.com/myths.facts.3.pdf
check this link out for the myths vs the FACTS
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Like a bunch of jocks trash talking the opposing team…Really doesn’t amount to much more than a lot of chest thumping…
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Or buttkissing.
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Anything for a vote
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I love you guys…I mean…well you know what I mean.
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