On fifth vote, locked-out American Crystal Sugar workers approve new contract

[CatholicEdHead]

http://www.startribune.com/local/202874801.html

Union workers at American Crystal Sugar approved a new contract on Saturday, ending one of Minnesota’s longest and largest labor disputes.

Prior to the contract’s approval by 55 percent of those voting Saturday, the company’s 1,300 workers had rejected essentially the same contract four times and had been locked out of their jobs for 20 months.

The last vote held Dec. 1 was rejected by 55 percent of the workers, down from 63 percent in June. The contract was first shot down in the summer of 2011 by 96 percent of voters, leading to the lockout.

John Riskey, president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 167G, said in an interview Saturday that he would work to help “make sure everything is right” for workers returning to the company after the long-fought contract...

[Brickbat]

1. This was an ugly chapter.

[Teamster Jeff]

2. It's hard to see this as anything but a loss for the workers

Lockouts work that is why this tactic is used more and more by companies who don't want to negotiate.

And so many members quit or retired that the scabs get to keep working. A bitter pill I'm sure.

[Omaha Steve]

3. They got starved out

It happens a lot. Crystal Sugar lost me to C&H. It is also unionized. I don't know if sugar in the raw is.