According to the Fort Morgan Times, members of Teamsters Local 455 voted on Monday, Aug. 3, to reject Cargill's latest contract offer, extending the labor dispute at the company's Fort Morgan, Colorado, beef processing plant. Union officials said members believed the proposal did not provide a significant enough improvement over the offer presented in May. Following the vote, the union informed Cargill of the decision and asked whether the company was willing to continue negotiations or modify its proposal. According to the report, the company acknowledged the vote but did not indicate it would resume bargaining.
The lockout began on May 20 after union members rejected a previous labor agreement over concerns related to wages, health care, and workplace safety. The union maintains that employees were locked out rather than going on strike and says picketing will continue while it seeks to bring the company back to the negotiating table. Approximately 1,700 employees are affected by the dispute, with the union continuing to provide weekly financial assistance to members during the ongoing lockout.