Members of Teamsters Local 238 voted Tuesday, Oct. 1 to authorize a strike against Cargill’s corn milling plant in southeast Cedar Rapids.
Local 238 leaders had earlier warned of the possibility of a strike against the Cargill plant, after the company’s three-year contract with the Teamsters expired at midnight Monday without a new contract in place.
Teamsters union organizer Sami Scheetz said that about 100 workers at the corn milling plant, at 1710 16th St. SE in Cedar Rapids, are participating in the strike, and that “a vast majority” of those workers voted at a union meeting Tuesday to reject the most recent contract offer from Cargill.
Picketers began marching outside the corn milling plant at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 1.
Negotiations between the Teamsters and Cargill had been ongoing for “a few weeks” as the end of the existing three-year labor contract drew near, Mr. Scheetz said.
While not providing specifics, Mr. Scheetz said the union’s decision to strike was based on two key factors.
“It was about wages, and then it was about respect,” Mr. Scheetz said. “Those were the two overriding themes that members mentioned when they decided to vote down the contract. It was about economics and respect from the company, or lack thereof.”
“Cargill is the largest privately held company in the world, and they’re pushing around nickels like it’s going to hurt the family billionaires,” said Jesse Case, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 238 and Teamsters Food Processing Division Director. “It’s the workers that put those billions in the pockets of the Cargill cartel, and we’ll stay on the picket line until our members receive a fair wage.”
The strike only involves the Cargill corn milling plant and not the other Cargill operations in Cedar Rapids, Mr. Scheetz said, noting that he’s not aware of any strikes against Cargill elsewhere in the United States.
“For whatever reason, with this contract, Cargill decided to really squeeze the workers, and they decided that enough was enough,” he said. “I think it’s just the overall theme of Cargill being the largest private company in the country, and these workers, even compared to similar jobs in Cedar Rapids, let alone state or the region, are just woefully underpaid.”
“We are striking because Cargill refuses to give us the fair pay we deserve,” said Joe Kirchhoff, chief steward for the Cedar Rapids facility. “We’ve worked hard to keep this company profitable, and it’s only right that they respect us with wages that reflect that. All we’re asking for is a raise that keeps up with the rising cost of living and the compensation standards in our industry.”
A Cargill spokesperson provided the following statement regarding the strike situation:
“After unresolved discussions with the Teamsters Union Local 238 Negotiating Committee, union employees at the Cargill Corn Milling facility have decided to strike. We have proposed a fair and competitive package for our employees and are disappointed that we could not come to an agreement with the Union at this time. We are willing and ready to meet with the Union at their request. In the interim, we continue the supply of high-quality products to our customers. We remain optimistic that an agreement can be reached in the near future.”
It’s not clear when future negotiations might take place, but Mr. Scheetz said it’s typical in such situations, a federal mediator would be brought in to facilitate discussions on a resolution. He also said workers have acknowledged the possibility that the strike may not be resolved anytime soon.
“The workers were completely aware that this could be something that could go on for months, and they were aware of that when they made their decision,” Mr. Scheetz said. “So they’re definitely in for the long haul.”
The Cargill spokesperson said “the plant is still operating business as usual,” but didn’t specify who was working at the facility.
