Austin, MN–This week, workers at the Hormel plant in Austin, Minnesota voted overwhelmingly to reject a final offer from the company. Voting took place September 13 and 14 at the plant and UFCW union hall in Austin.
The worker driven UFCW Local 663 bargaining committee gave this statement:
“This week our coworkers voted overwhelmingly to reject Hormel’s final offer to us. It’s simply not good enough. We stand united, and are willing to fight for more for our families and our community.
Hormel’s record profits are just wages not shared fairly with the rest of us. The reality is that we keep Hormel running. We demand that Hormel does better and comes to the table for a fair agreement quickly.”
The vote comes on the heels of current contract negotiations between United Food & Commercial Workers Locals throughout the country and Hormel.
On Labor Day, hundreds of Hormel workers and their families marched throughout Austin as they honored the legacy of workers’ rights and demanded a fair contract. This week’s vote in Austin is another sign that workers in Minnesota and around the country are ready to unite and fight for more.
Hormel’s gross profits reached $2.052 billion over the past twelve months.
The Austin plant employs over 1700 UFCW Local 663 members.
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UFCW Local 663 represents more than 17,000 hard-working essential retail, meat packing and processing, food preparation and manufacturing, healthcare, and other workers in Minnesota. We strive to improve the lives of our members and of all working families by fighting for economic, political, and social justice in our workplaces and communities. UFCW Local 663 is part of the 1.3 million-member United Food and Commercial Workers International Union.