Sen. Bernie Sanders is again weighing in on the ongoing strike at the Ingredion plant in Cedar Rapids. Mr. Sanders, a registered independent from Vermont who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2020, wrote a letter to Ingredion CEO Joseph Zallie dated Jan. 13, Mr. Sanders expressed his “serious concern about Ingredion’s refusal to bargain […]
Sen. Bernie Sanders is again weighing in on the ongoing strike at the Ingredion plant in Cedar Rapids.
Mr. Sanders, a registered independent from Vermont who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2020, wrote a letter to Ingredion CEO Joseph Zallie dated Jan. 13, Mr. Sanders expressed his “serious concern about Ingredion’s refusal to bargain in good faith” with members of the BCTGM (Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers) Local 100-G union leaders to resolve the strike, which began Aug. 1, 2022.
“My understanding is that instead of constructively negotiating an agreement with BCTGM, your company is attempting to penalize striking workers when they return to work,” the letter reads. “Further, Ingredion has also proposed cutting vacation time for many workers, forcing maintenance workers into 12-hour shifts with no overtime pay, and diminishing seniority. This is absolutely unacceptable. The time has come for Ingredion to bargain in good faith and offer a contract that is fair and just, instead of trying to discipline or even fire striking workers for exercising their constitutional right to strike.”
Mr. Sanders also noted that in 2015, during the last labor dispute between Ingredion and its unionized workers, an appeals court upheld a National Labor Relations Board finding that Ingredion had committed “multiple unfair labor practices.”
“Ingredion is not a poor company,” Mr. Sanders wrote to Mr. Zallie. “If your company can afford to pay you $10 million each year and spend at least $245 million on stock buybacks and dividends to enrich its wealthy shareholders, it can afford to provide workers with better wages, benefits and working conditions. I urge you to comply with your duty to bargain in good faith and offer your workers a fair contract.”
Ingredion officials hadn’t responded to a request for comment on Mr. Sanders’ letter as of Monday afternoon, Jan. 16.
This isn’t the first time Mr. Sanders has weighed in on labor disputes with Ingredion’s Cedar Rapids plant. He
posted a tweet Dec. 27 criticizing Ingredion officials for their strike stance, and during the last labor disruption at the plant in 2015, when it was known as Penford Products,
he walked a picket line with striking workers.
Members of the BCTGM International union began the latest strike against Ingredion in Cedar Rapids
on Aug. 1 after union members voted unanimously to reject Ingredion’s “last, best and final offer” to resolve a series of issues that had prevented a new contract from being approved.
The two sides have met several times since then, but no further talks are currently scheduled.
