Crystal union, touts skilled workers, seeks new talks
June 26, 2012 at 3:00 pm in Grand Forks Herald
Locked-out Bakery Workers union members want to return to negotiations after they again rejected a contract offer from American Crystal Sugar Co. management, union officials say. Continue Reading
It will end when Minnesota quits giving them unemployment checks.
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Amen.
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As I have said before: a labor action is a contest between the power of management and the power of organized labor. It is a contest with extremely real consequences.
For the government to aid or assist one side over the other is wrong. By giving employees involved in a voluntary labor action a means of support, the State of MN is tacitly supporting the workers over management.
The corollary would be the state subsidizing ACS for the cost of replacement workers. Both would be and are wrong.
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You’re tlking about a state which was run by the DFL for decades. It’s why when 3M built a new plant, they put it in Texas.
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I agree! 60% of the factories are in Minnesota, they voted down the contract by 63%, what does that tell you?
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It took months for the union to get the Federal Mediator to set up the last meeting. I couldn’t be more disappointed in this group.
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FINAL OFFER!!!!!!
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ya, they wre having trouble getting ahold of her. They had to find one guy to pick up the phone, another to dial the numbers, a third to listen to the conversation, a fourth to talk, and a fifth to relay the messages. THE UNION WAY!!!
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Not in my job descripton!
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What part of ” final offer” is unclear? I really don’t understand begging for negotiations you were not willing to be part of months ago, crystal gave compromises, the union ignored them, now they want to pretend that crystal has never given an inch. Crystal gave the inch, now the union wants a mile. I do feel a lot of empathy for the workers being threatened, for instance, TJ ‘s posts seem to make more sense than almost any one else on here. I may be a farmers wife, but I was raised by a hard-core teamster . The teamster union doesn’t even have your back in this fight. Doesn’t that speak volumes?
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The contract, it’s a contract to work, if a worker doesn’t like the contract, go find a job with a better one. If you like the contract, a smart worker would know what to do. quit the union and reapply for the job.
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“Are the farmers really willing to gamble with inexperienced replacement workers?” Riskey said.
“YA THINK?” oofda taco soup said.
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Whatever “skills” they had are rusty or no longer exist!
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This article states “According to the union, 82 percent of its approximately 1,300 locked-out members voted Saturday.” That would mean that approximately 1,066 people voted last Saturday. I will speculate that the number of voters was a tiny fraction of that number. If the author of the article had been paying any attention to this negotiation, he would have known better. Or he is a union tool. Either way, its an unfortunate piece of journalism.
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Hardly journalism. A reading of any story reflects the slant the Herald takes. Whether it be the lockout, the Alerus, UND, or two bank robbers who come to GF to feed off the dole. Equally revealing are the stories the Herald buries.
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Negociations worked so well last time.. The Union went in with even ‘higher’ wage demands for ‘select’ *cough*Riskyandcrew*cough* individuals and ACS left the talks. I wonder what the Union will come up with now, the new increased wages plus shares of stock? That would sound about right.
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hmm I think I heard about their negotiating tactic on the news this morning.
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There is zero chance of the union coming up with a better deal. This strike won’t be settled before another season is done for sure.
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The initial contract and the final contract are both on the ACSC contract talk sites, so this is a question that is quite easy to answer:
Section 1.6, Subcontracting of work: Significant changes
Section 1.8, Rate Protection: Removed 1 year limit on red-circled rates.
Section 2.4, Year-round employee: Significant changes
Section 3.1, Campaign Work Schedules: Removed ACSC proposed changes.
4.2 Overtime at time and one-half: put clauses c and d back in the contract.
4.3 Overtime at double time: put clauses a-c back in the contract
There are 38 more pages, but I figure this is a good start.
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There’s a real strong chance, as demonstrated by the on-going trend , that union management and most of the members are truly psychotic.
We all know the definition of ‘insanity’; couldn’t be a better example than this continuing saga.
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Is this what Riskey meant when he said before the last vote that they were prepared if the contract were voted down again, because….the union has “plans in place”?
“What we’ve got planned is to point out what the company and growers are certainly completely unaware of.”
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The headline reads, “union touts skilled workers,” but I didn’t see that in the article. A more accurate headline might be, “Union Claws for New Strategy” or “Federal Mediator Waits for Union to Come Around.” I don’t know why 63% don’t see what 95% of the populations does. I almost wish the Mn unemployment would end after, say, two union votes. After three landslide votes, although this is legally a lockout, to many of us it feels way more like a strike.
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It seems the union has many skills. Unfortunately negotiation is not one of them
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MAD MAX
I’ve got skills, I could trade them.
THE COLLECTOR
Sorry, the brothel’s full.
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I think it means that the only work that the former union members can look forward to is in the hospitality industry, if they can even get work in that field. Most likely not.
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I agree 100% Gayle. Real disappointing how some want to take these conversations into the gutter. We’ve disagreed on many items in this lockout, but I want it to be clear that I don’t agree with others who disagree with you.
I’d echo Alvin’s comments above. Let’s look at the facts. The union members did a good job of running the factory for years. They are (in general) good people who have shown that they are willing to do hard work. There are a few screwballs in the group as well. Shocking!!!! Actually not. Find another group of 1300 that doesn’t have the same issue.
There really is no need for the personal attacks.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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I have a question Gayle.. When they hung that monkey in effigy outside the Moorhead plant and you heard about it.. Did you say the same thing or did you laugh? It pertains to how I will react to you in the future. Or how about that inflatable Rat? Serious question here.. From your postings my guess is the later vs the former, but only you can confirm or deny.
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@ Gayle, it would have been too easy to just have a monkey there, they had to hang it, right? And because the union leaders told you what it symbolised, you believed them? Or did you think it really symbolised something else?
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@Gayle You know that isn’t what it meant as well as I do. That monkey was in a noose. It was a racial visualization and you know it. If you couldn’t show outrage at that.. well the rest of it just isn’t worth my time.
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People who put themselves in a bad circumstance,should not be surprised when people mock or make fun of them.
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Seems union rank and file view their leadership as paternal figures whom they allow to make major decisions for them. Problem is, they are not real fathers who love their children and would never lead them astray. It’s clear guys like Riskey are in it for Riskey, and see no moral or ethical problem in telling members to go without a check while he continues to receive one.
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Gayle; The monkey hung from a noose at the Hillsboro factory; but it hung in front of a confederae flag. How does that symbolize the locked out workers? It was a racial comment for the Strom employees,as was the throwing of watermelon.You can excuse it all you want by saying someone told you that it symbolized the workers. If that doesn’t offend you, it should. I work with these employees and have enjoyed it very much; they just want to feed and cloth their families. They endure being away from their children but are very grateful to have this job. Some of them stayed for the intercampaign and some will come back at the end of July. If by some strange phenomenum the union should ever come back, they will also have to work with some of them. I just wish one union person would step up and say they are offended by some of these pranks. We will be waiting for this month to see just how many employees will cross the line and come back. We will all welcome them back.
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Kassie….. always the true voice of reason and common sense!
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The choices made by your daughter do not define you as a person.
I guess I’m just leery of people that can “prove” they are not racist.
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
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ok; The Hillsboro Banner had a front page story about the lockout…Sheriff Mike Crocker said in the article that he had seen the monkey on the noose hung in front of the Confederate flag. I don’t need to make things up to make the union look bad; they do that all by themselves and if you don’t believe there is still racism go out to the picket line. Oh wait; there is only 3 people left and only for a few minutes on Tuesday (pay day). This is over, the union employees have voted 3 times and Crystal has moved on.
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ok; Over the years I have heard many employees use the trained monkey thing. I have never heard management say it. Management could have but I have never heard them say that. What does a monkey have to do with racism anyway. How would you on the outside of the fence have a clue how management treats the replacement workers. I have seen nothing but respect for the workers and I would never stand back and defend it if it did happen. Again I realize there were a lot of heated moments; not only on the union side, but when you try to whitewash it it only makes it more unbearable.Move on with your life; you have given your opinion by your vote. We are moving on and look forward to another year of process.
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Anyone remeber that VW commercial from a few years ago that had the song da da da?? Anyway, I am just thinking that must be what it is like when the union leadership gets together. They would be so much better off if they stayed out of the media and just let everyone think they were stupid instead of proving it time and time again. Da da da
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Have we learned nothing from tj, alvin and Mike S. today? The theme is a kinder and gentler message board. Stand down, george.
Hot debate. What do you think?
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As we have discussed numerous times in the FS threads: elections have consequences. These three elections are no different.
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Fly have you heard the new CD by Rush? It’s titled Clockwork Angels. For three guys approaching their 60′s they sure know how to rock. If you haven’t heard it check it out online…wear headphones…that goes without sayin’. (Billboard.Com)
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Rush Limbaugh has a new CD? I’ve been waiting for the chance to hear his latest hit “Pain Killers.”
Hot debate. What do you think?
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Yes Rush Limbaugh….you are right Gene. You can go to Amazon.Com to find it. I wouldn’t recommend listening to it with headphones on though. But you do whatever makes you happy. Nothing you do surprises me anymore.
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Questions: Do striking workers continue to pay union dues? If not (and they are required to do so) are they no longer considered to be members? I ask because in the unlikely case that the lockout is settled anytime in the next year or so, the article states that NLRB rules require union members to be offered their jobs back. Would this apply to all who were members at the time of the lockout or just those who are still members? Years ago, the Kohler company in Wisconsin had a long lockout (or strike) which was settled after about 5 years but there was evidently not many people left to reclaim any jobs. Minnesota job benefits are definitely prolonging this lockout.
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Yes they continue to pay dues….but after the six month point they are reduced to fifty percent $15.50 instead of $31. They can’t vote if they are more than a month behind on dues. Pay your dues or you can’t vote…more or less. They are union members until they quit the company.
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Riddle me this folks………Froemke is an AFL-CIO bigwig……..the IBEW, Millwrights, Machinists, et al unions are all AFL-CIO, right???? These unions are entering ACSC plants to work so, in essence, are they not crossing BCTGM’s picket lines and themselves scabs?? (unless like one union scab said he wasn’t crossing a picket line if no one is out there).
So where exactly is the solidarity??? Appears to me first it was Strom, then their neighbors, and now their union BROTHERS AND SISTERS have sided with the company.
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Technically it is considered an “information line” and not a “picket line” so other unions may cross if they choose, without fear of repercussion from their own union. From what I have heard the teamsters are the only ones still not crossing. At least that is what I have been told by a union millwright.
And just for something completely different to crab about….How many times is the Herald going to use the same picture of that commie handing out American flags? What a load of garbage.
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The woman is the person who was banned from Area Voices last fall for blasting several of us in a profane manner. I’m sure people remember her style of posting . She was the woman that used caps and exclamation points excessively.
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ARE YOU FRICKIN’ SERIOUS!
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Yes…and a couple weeks after she was banned she wrote a letter to the mail bag. The GF Herald allowed comments on it. I saw it around midnight one night. I was stunned. Of all the letters written by union members why hers? Before noon the next day the Herald took the comment section down. She was getting blasted by people.
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I’m always impressed with the mullet to bandana ratio at these union protests.
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