Four thousand workers in five locations represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) scored a major victory on September 12 by ratifying a new contract with Hormel Foods. The groundbreaking contract delivers wage increases, health care improvements and greater pension security.
UFCW members in five locals – UFCW Local 6 in Algona, Iowa; UFCW Local 9 in Austin, Minn.; UFCW Local 22 in Fremont, Neb.; Local 1439 in Beloit, Wis.; and UFCW Local 1996 in Atlanta voted to ratify the contract.
The new contract establishes:
· considerable wage increases including $1.40 per hour base wage increase over four years for production workers and $1.80 per hour base wage increase for maintenance workers. The increases bring the average wage for production workers to $16.75 an hour — the top of the industry.
· significant improvements in preventive health care, well baby and well child care, hospice care, home health care, vision care, mental health and substance abuse care, and cancer screening as well as big improvements in dental care. These improvements were achieved with no increase in deductible, and only a minimal increase in co-premiums.
· improved retirement security including increased “pension multipliers” which will mean a greater than 10 percent increase in pension checks.
“I think this contract allows Hormel workers the chance to have a stable and comfortable living that we deserve. I’m glad that Hormel saw the value in remaining the industry leader in wages and benefits," said Richard Chinander, chief steward at Local 9 in
The UFCW represents 1.4 million workers, 250,000 in the meatpacking and poultry industries.