Vol. 72/No. 13      March 31, 2008

More than 250 Dakota workers, including workers at the nearby Newport storage facility, process more than 800 cows a day.

In January workers soundly defeated a company-backed union decertification election. Since then they are more confident they can win their contract proposals. These include meaningful yearly raises and some control over the line speed. Rubén Alemán, a worker in the boning department, told the Militant, “United we’ll win a contract. I see that people are more inspired and supportive of the union.”

The company has kept to its offer of a 15-cent-an-hour raise and a 10-cent attendance “bonus.” It has said no to lowering the line speed.

The March 17 issue of the Dakota workers weekly newsletter, the Workers’ Voice, referred to the sit-down strike at Dakota in 2000, which led to an agreement that the line speed be kept below 94 cows an hour with a worker checking the speed. “This was agreed to before and we can win it again!” the Workers’ Voice said. “Enough of cows coming down the kill line kicking and injuring workers because the line speed is too fast!”

Along with the officials and staff from Local 789, 14 workers participated in the last negotiating session with the company and the workers are continuing their weekly meetings as well as putting out the Workers’ Voice. Many workers have put union stickers on their helmets and are passing them out to others.

Rebecca Williamson is a member of UFCW Local 789 and works at Dakota Premium Foods.  
 
 
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