Workers at a meatpacking plant in Fort Morgan on Monday overwhelmingly approved a new contract from their employer Cargill Meat Solutions, which had locked out more than 1,700 employees since May 20.
The results were the opposite of a vote earlier this month and ended the dispute between the Teamsters Local 455 and Cargill, the nation’s largest private company and one of the largest meat processors in the country. According to union leaders, Cargill will bring workers back in phases over the next 30 days.
“It was just a different feeling today,” Dean Modecker, secretary-treasurer of Local 455, said Monday. “Two weeks ago, when we voted, I feel the anger was still there. And then after two weeks of looking at the deal, I believe people just realized it’s time to go back to work. Since we’re not hiding anything, I’m sure you heard, just like we did, that Tyson Beef shut down a plant. So again, we just work for a living, and I think at this point people are just, ‘Time to go back to work.’”
The previous contract expired in February and negotiations continued until May 20, when workers rejected a new contract and the company locked the doors to avoid “safety and operational risks with an unplanned production stoppage,” the company said. Cargill also rerouted cattle to processing plants in other states.
“Cargill is pleased that employees represented by Teamsters Local 455 have voted to ratify a new labor agreement for our Fort Morgan beef facility,” the company said in a statement on Monday. “Following an extended pause, employees will receive the training and support needed to return safely, while teams ensure the facility is ready to resume production. Employee safety, food safety and operational readiness will guide every step of the process. We look forward to welcoming employees back and moving forward together.”
This is a developing breaking news story and will be updated.