Sioux City Journal

Denison Farmland workers reject contract

By Dolly A. Butz, Journal staff writer | Posted: Monday, September 22, 2008

DENISON, Iowa -- About 1,400 workers at the Denison Farmland pork processing plant voted by more than 92 percent Sunday to reject the company's latest contract proposal.

The previous contract, which lasted four years, expired at midnight Sunday. Workers at the plant, which slaughters and processes hogs for fresh pork products, bacon and ham, gathered Sunday afternoon for a ratification meeting at Denison High School.

"We think there were more negotiations to be done, that there's more room to move," union local No. 440 representative Leo Kanne said Sunday.

In a statement released Sunday, UFCW Local 440 said the company's demands would have significantly increased workers' share of health care coverage. Kanne said the other sticking point of the contract is wages.

The contract was the company's last, best and final offer, but Kanne said he hopes union leaders and Farmland Foods officials can go back to the table for further negotiations.

Kanne said If union officials hadn't notified the company by Sunday night of the rejection, they will contact representatives today to try to resume negotiations. Union representatives and company officials have been meeting for the past three months. UFCW Local 440 will give Farmland a 72-hour notice prior to striking.

The Denison plant is one of nine pork-processing facilities run by Farmland Foods of Kansas City, Mo., which has approximately 8,400 employees and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Smithfield Foods of Smithfield, Va.

Efforts to reach company officials Sunday were unsuccessful.

Story Comments

son of a plant worker wrote on Sep 27, 2008 11:11 AM:

" my father has been bustin his back for 25 years at this place. this is a perfect example of corporate greed. they can profit a million dollars in single day and they forget about how they made it.....the workers. the rich are getting richer....but what about the people trying to make a living that are living paycheck to paycheck. "

kathy wrote on Sep 23, 2008 9:03 AM:

" My father has been employed at the Denison Farmland plant for 27 years. He works very hard, in fact they recently started working 7 days a week. Over the years my father has endured several injuries due to his job. Yet every day that man wakes up and drives 30 minutes to go to work. He doesn't make millions, heck even 6 figures a year, yet he stays with it. New people getting hired make more an hour than my father does. Does that seem fair to you?? A man thats been there 27 years makes less than someone walking in off the streets? I think the least Farmland can do is increase wages and give those workers better insurance. I for one am in support of my father and his coworkers! Even the illegal ones! "

mike sands wrote on Sep 22, 2008 7:40 PM:

" I support the increase in pay and the health benefits for the workers in the meat packing industry! I was raised in this industry and when we had to take a pay cut because the illegal immigrants could work for less, then they literally took my life away when the plant closed. I finally went back to college to better myself, and enter a different career. People just don't understand how hard it is to cut meat for 10 to 12 hours a day. IT IS A PROFESSION just like a lawyer, doctor, etc... Hang in there local 440 and stand by what is right for you. I'm behind you 150% Mike from Georgia. "

wife of a pork plant worker wrote on Sep 22, 2008 3:30 PM:

" I will say it again it is hard working Americans that have made Farmland/Smithfield the company it is today.Thank God for the Unions that support them! "

me wrote on Sep 22, 2008 2:12 PM:

" I have worked in a plant. Our meat comes from hard working illegal immigrants. "