Cargill locks out 1,700 workers at Colorado beef plant
More than 1,700 Teamsters at Cargill Meat Solutions were locked out Wednesday morning after months of negotiations over a new collective bargaining agreement at the company’s Fort Morgan, Colorado, beef processing facility.
Teamsters Local 455 said workers rejected the company’s latest proposal, citing concerns over wages, health care, and workplace safety protections. Union officials said 85 percent of voting members opposed the offer.
“Shame on this company for shutting out our members. Cargill can afford to give these workers a fair deal that reflects their hard work and dedication,” said Dean Modecker, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 455. “This was a disgraceful move by a company that has long taken its workers for granted. We won’t stand for it.”
The Fort Morgan facility is a major part of Cargill’s beef processing network and one of the region’s largest employers. According to industry reports, the plant has capacity to process up to 4,700 head of cattle per day and had recently been operating near 4,000 head daily before harvesting operations stopped in late April amid concerns over a possible work stoppage.
Workers at the facility play a critical role in processing beef products distributed to consumers nationwide. In Fort Morgan, a rural community on Colorado’s Eastern Plains, the plant also serves as an economic driver for the surrounding area.
“I’ve been at Cargill for 33 years and it’s really upsetting to see the company be so unreasonable,” said Chris Bell, a maintenance worker at Cargill and member of Local 455. “I am just a few months away from retirement, but I want to be out here supporting the younger workers who are fighting for their future. We can’t believe this company would stoop to this level. We will be out here every day making our voices heard.”
Cargill said the lockout was initiated because of “continued uncertainty” surrounding negotiations and concerns about safely operating the facility during a potential strike.
“This was a difficult decision and not the outcome we wanted,” the company said in a statement. “We believe our proposal is fair and competitive, representing an estimated $33.4 million investment over five years.”
The company added that it does not expect major impacts to producers or customers because production is being shifted to other facilities within its network.
Industry analysts have closely watched the labor dispute because of the plant’s role in regional cattle processing. David Ericson of Ag Optimus told the Rural Radio Network that the possibility of a strike at Fort Morgan had become “the best-kept secret in the packing industry.”
»Related: JBS workers return to Colorado beef plant after strike
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