From the first days of the struggle, company officials vowed not to recognize the union or negotiate a contract. The plant is a subsidiary of Rosen’s Diversified, one of the 10 largest beef packers in the country, and employs 200 production staff.

Many workers read and discussed the contract before the vote. "I was surprised that many people voted for the contract. This shows how strong we are, and the company knows it too," said Tyrone Appleton, a worker in the packing department. "Maybe this will help us in the workplace. We can stick together instead of being divided."

"Some things I didn’t agree with, but it’s a contract," said Augustina Borroel, another worker in the packing department. "We have something and now we can fight for something better."

Winning the contract strengthens the unionists’ ability to defend themselves against the company’s profit drive. The union negotiating committee, headed by Local 789 president Bill Pearson, included rank-and-file workers from both the kill and boning departments. The contract provides for wage increases of between 20 and 35 cents an hour for the next five years, as well as medical benefits that the company had previously threatened to eliminate. The contract also upholds seniority rights. Most workers will receive a $1,000 signing bonus. Recent hires will get $500.

Miguel Gutiérrez, a central leader of the fight since the sit-down strike and member of the negotiating committee, told the Militant, "I remember what it was like in this plant before the union vote. People were complaining about injuries and not being able to work because of the line speed. We fought for this contract. I know it is not the best, but we need the union inside the plant now. This contract gives us that."

Ernesto Ramírez, a worker in the boning department, said, "This is good. I cut a nerve in my hand a year ago and the company fired me. I went to the union and we fought to get my job back. Now, with the union in the plant we will have more rights and better protection."  
 
Sit-down strike a turning point
For several years meat packers at Dakota Premium have fought against brutal working conditions and for the right to be treated with dignity. On June 1, 2000, more than 100 workers staged a seven-hour sit-down strike to demand the company slow the line speed and cease forcing people to work while injured. Despite the company’s efforts to intimidate the meat packers, the bosses conceded to their demands and workers launched an organizing drive to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW).

The strike gave momentum to the effort to bring the union back. Eight years earlier it had been decertified after failing to win a contract.

On July 21 of that year workers voted to join UFCW Local 789. The company immediately challenged the election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Region 18 of the board rejected the company’s claims and upheld the union vote. The company then appealed to the national NLRB, effectively stalling the union recognition process by nearly 14 months before a second ruling upheld the election result.

Throughout the period between the sit-down strike and the contract vote the Dakota bosses threatened to eliminate medical benefits and stepped up an in-plant propaganda campaign designed to intimidate workers.

Resistance continued as the company targeted outspoken supporters of the union. Some of these workers were refused bathroom visits. After an incident on the line where a worker was denied a break, other workers responded by organizing a meeting at the union hall to demand that the company allow such breaks when needed.

A central issue in the fight for union recognition has been the line speed. Over a period of time before the sit-down strike, production was raised from 450 head of cattle in 10 hours to 700 in seven and a half hours. Today, workers process more than 800 cattle in less than nine hours. Some supervisors have threatened that the line speed will be increased to 125 per hour.

In an attempt to create an atmosphere of intimidation and discourage people from voting for the new contract, the company fired a number of workers, claiming that they did not have proper work documentation, for alleged attendance lapses, and other reasons. Workers responded by turning to their union and discussing with fellow workers why a contract was needed in the plant.

The majority of workers are from Mexico and other countries in Latin America. Many use their vacation time and ask for additional time without pay--which the company had previously granted--to visit their families. Several workers have reported that after having approved their vacation time in addition to unpaid leave time, the company reversed its decision the day after the contract ratification. Workers have met at the union hall to demand the company give them the previously approved time off.

Jenny Benton works in the boning department at Dakota Premium Foods and is a member of UFCW Local 789.  
 
 
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