Skip to content
NOWCAST NewsWatch 7 at 9:00 on METV Omaha
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Union workers at Kellogg's vote on proposed agreement

Union workers at Kellogg's casted their votes on Sunday on a new agreement after two months on strike.

A national labor dispute could affect hundreds of jobs at an Omaha plant, and the apparent options are tough for some union workers to swallow.
KETV
A national labor dispute could affect hundreds of jobs at an Omaha plant, and the apparent options are tough for some union workers to swallow.
SOURCE: KETV
Advertisement
Union workers at Kellogg's vote on proposed agreement

Union workers at Kellogg's casted their votes on Sunday on a new agreement after two months on strike.

Union workers at Kellogg's cast their votes on Sunday on a new agreement after two months on strike. The union president tells KETV he is not sure which way the out come will go, but if it is a no, they are ready to keep on picketing. "Eventually, the company will loosen their belt, let some of that fat they done held back flow to the people," said Andrew Hewett, a union worker. The deal calls for a five year labor contract, impacting 1,400 workers across four states. It includes things like an accelerated path to legacy wages and benefits for transitional employees, wage increase for all and an increased pension multiplier. If the majority of workers approve, they could return to work as soon as next week. "Lot of the people I talked to, it seems about 50-50 right now," said Dan Osborn, the union president. About 450 union workers here in Omaha are expected to vote. The outcome also depends on how the other workers in different states vote. The tentative agreement came during the fourth time negotiators from Kellogg's and the union have met. Striking workers were pushing to change the company's plan to cap the number of transitional workers and not promote them with higher pay. While there are some wins in the new deal, many still have concerns. "There's a lot of discrepancies in the contract that are not meeting our standards right now," said Hewett. "My biggest concern is that they lifted the amount of lower-tier employees they can employ," said Osborn. The union says we can expect the results of the vote as early as Tuesday. Should the agreement fail to pass, strikers plan to be back out on the picket line.

Union workers at Kellogg's cast their votes on Sunday on a new agreement after two months on strike.

The union president tells KETV he is not sure which way the out come will go, but if it is a no, they are ready to keep on picketing.

Advertisement

"Eventually, the company will loosen their belt, let some of that fat they done held back flow to the people," said Andrew Hewett, a union worker.

The deal calls for a five year labor contract, impacting 1,400 workers across four states. It includes things like an accelerated path to legacy wages and benefits for transitional employees, wage increase for all and an increased pension multiplier. If the majority of workers approve, they could return to work as soon as next week.

"Lot of the people I talked to, it seems about 50-50 right now," said Dan Osborn, the union president.

About 450 union workers here in Omaha are expected to vote. The outcome also depends on how the other workers in different states vote.

The tentative agreement came during the fourth time negotiators from Kellogg's and the union have met. Striking workers were pushing to change the company's plan to cap the number of transitional workers and not promote them with higher pay. While there are some wins in the new deal, many still have concerns.

"There's a lot of discrepancies in the contract that are not meeting our standards right now," said Hewett.

"My biggest concern is that they lifted the amount of lower-tier employees they can employ," said Osborn.

The union says we can expect the results of the vote as early as Tuesday. Should the agreement fail to pass, strikers plan to be back out on the picket line.