American Crystal Sugar Company locks out it's workers

[greaseyfingers]

Locked out American Crystal Sugar worker plays guitar, harmonica, and sings his own songs concerning Corporate Greed and American Crystal Sugar locking out all of it's Union Workers, that have made this Company 3.1 Billion Dollars Profit, for each of the four last years, prior to the lockout..

While the American Crystal sugar CEO, Dave Berg gives himself a big pay raise increase, so he can get paid a whopping 2.44 Million Dollars, a year, at the Company's Farmer Owned Share Holder's and Union Worker's expenxe..

Click on the Website links, below, and you can listen to these great songs..

American Crystal Sugar lockout song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8uZrtC7VE

American Crystal Sugar CEO is 1% of a man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IguX7mc5q8o

Dead Scab in The Middle of the road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbJqRrk6GUM

Vote for the one who's Broke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhQYjk1d9pY


PLEASE Stand With the Sugar Workers, Your Support Will Be Appreciated..

For generations, the sugar beet industry has been the lifeblood of Northwest Minnesota’s Red River Valley.

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and farmers to protect and advance the sugar industry.

Together, the workers, company and growers have helped to build the local economy, support families, and made communities flourish.

Now, American Crystal has put all of this in jeopardy by locking out it's workers, due to Corporate Greediness.


PLEASE Sign our petition at the website link, below, telling CEO Dave Berg:
Don't turn your back on the community!

http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the community! To be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg


Prior to the American Crystal Sugar ockout, the Union's Highly Skilled Sugar Processing Technician Workers made net profits of over 3.1 billion dollars, during each of the last four years for the Company, before the Union Workers were locked out by the American Crystal Sugar Company..

As a result, Dave Berg, CEO for American Crystal Sugar, has increased his pay to over 2.4 million dollars, a year, at the Union Worker's Expense, while pretending to save the Company money..

The other upper management people, at American Crystal Sugar's Corporate Office, have aslo increased their yearly pay, at the Union Worker's Expense..

This Union lockout has cost the American Crystal Sugar Company many millions of dollars, due to many Rail Road cars full of unfit sugar being made, by non union, inexperienced workers, that did not meet specification standards for large industry customers, resulting in contracts being unfulfilled and lost..

American Crystal Sugar Company, is a co op owned by the farmers who grow the sugar beets for processing into sugar, that have been taking a loss on their beet crop payments, due to inefficient sugar processing by unskilled, non union workers..

Here is the website link, below, to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 ~ (6 VIDEOS to Watch)


Workday Minnesota coverage of the lockout at American Crystal Sugar.

More than 1,300 workers at American Crystal Sugar facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa have been locked out of their jobs since Aug. 1. 2011.

They have helped make Crystal Sugar the largest and most profitable producer of sugar from beets in the United States, but the company is seeking to undercut their wages, benefits and job security.

Here is the website link, below, to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 ~ (6 VIDEOS to Watch)


PLEASE Call American Crystal Sugar to Stop the Lockout

CALL 1-218-236-4400 and tell American Crystal Sugar's CEO, Dave Berg not to turn his back on workers and the community.

Here are some talking points to use during your call:


- My name is ______ and I'd like to share consumer feedback about your company.

- As a consumer who cares about the way a company treats its workers, I was disappointed to hear that American Crystal Sugar has locked out its employees in the Midwest.

- You are a profitable, successful company, and there's no excuse to squeeze your workers so hard when they are just asking for a fair deal for themselves and their families.

- I urge you to immediately end the company's strike against your workers and meet with their union representatives to negotiate, in good faith, a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement.

- Thank you.

[press 1 for english]

There are 2 sides to every story. Unions suck the life blood out of business.

[straycat]

Sorry, but some unions were good at one time..then the mafia got involved for a while and later on union workers got so much pay raises that all of America suffered and had to pay higher prices for everything. This is not always the ongoing issue of course but when the unions stepped in, the price of goods doubled in value and this started to continue. Now, some unions were not like this and they really helped the workers as well. Some companies did not pay their workers, they were given goods the company made....hence the song...''I gave my soul to the company goal''.

I don't use sugar and have not used it or bought it in over 30 years...I don't miss it. I use natural raw honey that the bees produce for all my cooking and in my tea (hot and cold). Much more healthy for you. No sodas either.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Stand With Sugar Workers workers.

Sign our petition at this website,
http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567

We respectfully urge you to reconsider your take-back plans and let your union workers stay on the job.

Not a chance in Hell.

If your union 'workers' are so committed to their cause to 'advance the sugar industry', let them de-certify their union and go back to work as non-union employees, and earn their raises on the merit system like the vast majority of American workers do. What? They won't? Didn't think so.

In the end, it really isn't about advancing the sugar industry at all, it's about increasing union wages and benefits.

[killj0y]

Your barking up the wrong tree here I think...nobody here gets anything for free huh guys? Lol

[heptofite]

I use natural raw honey that the bees produce for all my cooking and in my tea (hot and cold). Much more healthy for you.

[citation needed]

[ES894x4]

Fail. I like how workers are supporting all the familys, doing all the advancing, and building the entire local economy before the companies or the farmers are. Not like theres people in fields making sure you actually have something to do before your even awake. lols. Your union has failed you as they fail everyone in this day and age. Were they necessary before health&safety and child labor laws werent yet in place, yes. Do workers need something that kills the hand that feeds them threw forcing strikes to get increased pay even when the labor is unskilled and the pay unjust, no.

ill stick to my delicious raw hawaii sugar made from actual sugar cane and continue not to care since im still supporting an American business.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

[citation needed]

For real.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

ill stick to my delicious raw hawaii sugar made from actual sugar cane and continue not to care since im still supporting an American business.

Dude, where are you finding Hawaiian cane sugar? What brand? Also looking for Hawaiian pineapple. Haven't seen any in years.

Man, now I really miss living there.

[gribly]

[citation needed]

Are you serious? You can't be serious. Let me reword your question for you - "Hey, I m having trouble believing you that something natural is better for you than something that is highly processed, and I won't believe you until you show me proof."

[Will]

I would have thrown this out or moved it, but by the rules of the Moderator's Union, it's not my job.

[06RangerXLT]

I would have thrown this out or moved it, but by the rules of the Moderator's Union, it's not my job.

hahah, rep to you sir :icon_rofl:

i say chuck it. this is beyond pointless.

[killj0y]

Yes close this thread, this is pure troll food...

[straycat]

[citation needed]

Lol!!! It has been proven in so much research that raw or nautral honey is better for you then any kind sugar or items with added sugar. Honey supress a chonic cough. Helps soothe that sore throat. My mom gave Honey to us kids as we grew up. We used it in our cooking and baking and still do today. By the way, I have two complete blood lab work test done yearly. I have no issues with any of my organs, no cholestral either. All my levels are below average where they should be. Most people are way above average and that is not healty. My lab work results are always great and I am happy with that. My doctor told me he wishes his other patients were like that. He thinks I should stay around his office all day and get people to eat as I do...lol

[shane96ranger]

I'll tell you what I'd do if I owned that company. I'd give those jobs you're walking away from to some unemployed folks that can't find a job. I bet they'll do it non-union too.

Be happy you have a job for piss sakes.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

I would have thrown this out or moved it, but by the rules of the Moderator's Union, it's not my job.

Win.

+rep to you, young William.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Lol!!! It has been proven in so much research that raw or nautral honey is better for you then any kind sugar or items with added sugar. Honey supress a chonic cough. Helps soothe that sore throat. My mom gave Honey to us kids as we grew up. We used it in our cooking and baking and still do today. By the way, I have two complete blood lab work test done yearly. I have no issues with any of my organs, no cholestral either. All my levels are below average where they should be. Most people are way above average and that is not healty. My lab work results are always great and I am happy with that. My doctor told me he wishes his other patients were like that. He thinks I should stay around his office all day and get people to eat as I do...lol

I'm being serious here, stray: share some links with us. I'd like to read them.

Natural sugar is no worse for you than honey, IMAO. Nor is corn syrup. Naturally the key word is 'moderation.'

[AllanD]

Dude, where are you finding Hawaiian cane sugar? What brand? Also looking for Hawaiian pineapple. Haven't seen any in years.

Man, now I really miss living there.

The ONLY company that packs Sugar entirely from US domestic production
is "Dixie Crystals", Dixie crystals is based on the gulf coast.

Anyone care to guess what brand of sugar is the only brand I buy?

AD

[85_Ranger4x4]

Lol!!! It has been proven in so much research that raw or nautral honey is better for you then any kind sugar or items with added sugar. Honey supress a chonic cough. Helps soothe that sore throat. My mom gave Honey to us kids as we grew up. We used it in our cooking and baking and still do today. By the way, I have two complete blood lab work test done yearly. I have no issues with any of my organs, no cholestral either. All my levels are below average where they should be. Most people are way above average and that is not healty. My lab work results are always great and I am happy with that. My doctor told me he wishes his other patients were like that. He thinks I should stay around his office all day and get people to eat as I do...lol

Dunno about all that, but I have heard if you eat honey that is from your area it is supposed to really help with allergies.

I would like to try it. :icon_idea:

[Beef52751]

threads like this keep TRS interesting, the title says its about a company locking out workers but when you read the thread it turns out it is about Honey LMAO

Thanks to Forest Gump:

"TRS is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your going to get!!!!"

[wrecking-crew]

Dude, where are you finding Hawaiian cane sugar? What brand? Also looking for Hawaiian pineapple. Haven't seen any in years.

Man, now I really miss living there.

You can order the pineapples through Dole online I think.

[Will]

Lol!!! It has been proven in so much research that raw or nautral honey is better for you then any kind sugar or items with added sugar. Honey supress a chonic cough. Helps soothe that sore throat. My mom gave Honey to us kids as we grew up. We used it in our cooking and baking and still do today. By the way, I have two complete blood lab work test done yearly. I have no issues with any of my organs, no cholestral either. All my levels are below average where they should be. Most people are way above average and that is not healty. My lab work results are always great and I am happy with that. My doctor told me he wishes his other patients were like that. He thinks I should stay around his office all day and get people to eat as I do...lol

I like a dab of honey in my green tea before my 2 hour yoga session, during which I play my ocean sounds and a little Chopin.

That builds up so much homicidal fury in me that I chase the chickens around the yard with an axe to cool off.

Then the yin and yang are in balance and I look forward to a most delightful day.

[shane96ranger]

I like a dab of honey in my green tea before my 2 hour yoga session, during which I play my ocean sounds and a little Chopin.

That builds up so much homicidal fury in me that I chase the chickens around the yard with an axe to cool off.

Then the yin and yang are in balance and I look forward to a most delightful day.

At which point do you jump in your Prius and run to the Oxygen Bar?

[BDAB]

No, he takes his bus or his crew cab.

[Captain Ledd]

I would have thrown this out or moved it, but by the rules of the Moderator's Union, it's not my job.

Better hope no-one else moves it either, somebody's going to file a grievance.



Worked in a union for a short while, worked along side one for a lot longer. They're not needed.

My favorite time was when a friend of mine was carrying a ladder down a hallway and a passer by hollered at him for being non union and taking away jobs. To which my friend said, "oh I'm sorry!", thrust the ladder at him and said "I'm going that way".

Honey sounds good right now.

[straycat]

Dunno about all that, but I have heard if you eat honey that is from your area it is supposed to really help with allergies.

I would like to try it. :icon_idea:

This is very true, Bro. Local Honey helps people with allergies. My mom gave us honey as kids as I stated before. If we got a cough..it was gone at the end of the day. Same with a soar throat. I never took any meds as a kid and I was never sick a day in my life and neither was any of my family. We lived all over the world when I was growing up due to my dad being an AF pilot.

The only time I had to see a doctor was while in the military and I got wounded a few times and after years of handling depleted uranium I have issues from that. I have never had a cough, cold or a soar throat in over 40 years now since I am using honey every day. Two table spoons a day. I got several friends using it for over 20 years now and they swear by it as well.

It can't hurt to try it guys. Google Local Honey/allergies and see about it.

[adsm08]

So your throat stays with your body instead of flying off and frolicking in the skies? Didn't know honey was good for preventing the throat from taking flight and climbing rapidly.

[shane96ranger]

So your throat stays with your body instead of flying off and frolicking in the skies? Didn't know honey was good for preventing the throat from taking flight and climbing rapidly.

:icon_rofl::icon_rofl::icon_rofl:

I don't care who you are, that's funny right there......

[adsm08]

I love word play.

I learned it from eating honey.

[killj0y]

I always thought grunt work warranted grunt pay. Just like work that required a specialty skill or education should pay more.

[superds]

I always thought grunt work warranted grunt pay. Just like work that required a specialty skill or education should pay more.

Honey is the great equalizer.

[06RangerXLT]

why is this thread still alive???

[shane96ranger]

why is this thread still alive???

Because it floated like a Straycat and stung like a bee.

[killj0y]

why is this thread still alive???

because honey wills it to live! :headbang:

[straycat]

Because it floated like a Straycat and stung like a bee.

LOL!!!! Hey....it's none of your beeswax...lol

[skippy]

Stand With Sugar Workers

For generations, the sugar beet industry has been the lifeblood of Northwest Minnesota’s Red River Valley.

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and farmers to protect and advance the sugar industry.

Together, the workers, company and growers have helped to build the local economy, support families, and made communities flourish. Now, American Crystal has put all of this in jeopardy by locking out workers.

Sign our petition at this website,
http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the community! To be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and growers to protect and advance the sugar industry. They worked hard for the sugar program, farm bill, and stood up against the North American Free Trade Agreement and many other unfair trade agreements that hurt the sugar beet industry.

Together, the workers, company and farmers have built the local economy, supported families, and helped communities flourish.

We respectfully urge you to reconsider your take-back plans and let your union workers stay on the job.

Your union,like my former union probably endorsed Obama in 2008,hope it works out better for you then it did me.

Maybe you won't lose every thing you worked for like I did when my union fell apart,and know this,there is life after the union,you'll just be too busy trying to earn enough to survive to enjoy it. Good luck to you and yours.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

why is this thread still alive???
Honey has boosted it's immune system.

[Mark_88]

Elementary my dear chums....it is still alive because I HAVEN'T POSTED...well...it should die soon...because I AM THE TREAD Killer...that's why my tires wear out so fast...

[shane96ranger]

I'm not going to let you off that easy man. Let me see if I can kill it. If I do, can I get $2 Canadian sent to my Paypal for my accomplishment?

Just got into an argument with an avid Demmy and union supporter (I know, same shit - different pile). It's amazing that they can't see the relevance in the unions role in the increase in offshore manufacturing. He kept telling me "there's no way corporations can be patriotic".

He's your typical left nut.... gotta yell and point fingers to try and intimidate the opposition.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

Just got into an argument with an avid Demmy and union supporter (I know, same shit - different pile). It's amazing that they can't see the relevance in the unions role in the increase in offshore manufacturing. He kept telling me "there's no way corporations can be patriotic".

Ergo, unions cannot be patriotic. Unions have leadership, officers, and a 'corporate' type structure.

Unions...are corporations in everything but name.

[Funnyman141]

unions need to disappear, when Roquette locked out its employees it was because they were getting paid almost 21 dollars an hour, and that was for the grunt work, it was sucking the very life out of the company (although they are a bunch of @sshats) and causing them to raise prices and such. Unions were needed at one time, they are no longer needed.
just wanted to deposit my 2 honey dipped cents into here. :D

[Ronv]

Here we go talking about eating Honey and I admit I enjoy eating honey also, especially when I get the nectar! :) :) :)

[shane96ranger]

Unions...are corporations in everything but name.

I never really looked at it like that. How true that is!

[85_Ranger4x4]

because honey wills it to live! :headbang:

Honey never does go bad... :icon_idea:

[b2rich]

Unions are as worthless as tits on a bull now days. At one time maybe they were useful. They did help to form the protection that the labor laws now provide. But now they are basically used to get pieces of worthless ß˙ˆ† elected.

As for sugar. I use Agave Nectar. Has a lower GI than honey and taste like Patrone' :drool:

[Sunk]

He's your typical left nut.... gotta yell and point fingers to try and intimidate the opposition.

Hmmm... Mine must not be normal then, he gets along with the right one just fine!

:D

[CreepyCrawler]

Hmmm... Mine must not be normal then, he gets along with the right one just fine!

:D

hahahaha reading tht is gonna get me through the whole day. tht is funny as hell

[killj0y]

unions need to disappear, when Roquette locked out its employees it was because they were getting paid almost 21 dollars an hour, and that was for the grunt work, it was sucking the very life out of the company (although they are a bunch of @sshats) and causing them to raise prices and such. Unions were needed at one time, they are no longer needed.
just wanted to deposit my 2 honey dipped cents into here. :D

Are you for real! ****ing 21 an hour!? That's ****ing better than what you can hope to get after college lmao. Shit I'd be laughing that Shit up set 21 an hour, I'd be like later union more hours for me! Unions are good where employees are taken advantage of, this is not the case here. Working as a server I wanted a union but none existed, 2.13 an hour and zero ****ing chance of a raise is bullshit, in texas server don't even actually get paychecks at all! It says void on it lol it all goes to taxes, you literally live off of tips. Oh well these asshats need to dump these guys and hire a bunch od unemployed americans for less and everyone is happy! The union can figure their own shit out, at least they got their pride and ideals...etc hope you can eat that though...

[greaseyfingers]

Your union,like my former union probably endorsed Obama in 2008,hope it works out better for you then it did me.

Maybe you won't lose every thing you worked for like I did when my union fell apart,and know this,there is life after the union,you'll just be too busy trying to earn enough to survive to enjoy it. Good luck to you and yours.

Lockout puts sugar program in jeopardy

Anyone involved with growing sugar beets, producing sugar or bringing the product to market knows the importance of the federal government’s sugar program. The program puts a limit on how much sugar is imported to the U.S. It has created a fair market for Red River Valley sugar beet growers to earn a living, and it created good-paying jobs in the production facilities for many decades.

Now, American Crystal Sugar’s lockout of 1,300 workers and their families is putting the entire sugar program at risk. An agricultural bill backed by Democratic Sens. Richard Durbin of Illinois and Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Republican Sens. Richard Lugar of Indiana and John Thune of South Dakota would eliminate the sugar program entirely and is gaining serious momentum in Congress.

In the past, attempts to eliminate the sugar program have been stopped because the sugar industry worked with organized labor. Labor-friendly members of Congress without sugar beet farms in their districts or states supported the program in previous years because of the once-positive labor relations at companies such as American Crystal.

But with American Crystal’s recent treatment of union workers, it’s going to be extremely difficult for organized labor to get behind the sugar program once again. Labor-friendly members of Congress from non-sugar producing areas also will have a hard time supporting an industry that is treating workers as poorly as American Crystal is right now.

It’s time to face facts. Without the sugar program in place, Red River Valley beet sugar no longer will be able to compete with cheap imports. Even if American Crystal cut its labor costs to zero, imports still would be cheaper.

But the sugar program still can be saved. American Crystal should end this divisive lockout and work with the union on negotiating a contract that ensures job security for workers, continued profitability for the company and prosperity for the region.

If American Crystal can end its campaign against its workers, I know we can work together to ensure the sugar program continues for generations to come.

Together, the workers, company and growers have helped to build the local economy, support families, and made communities flourish. Now, American Crystal has put all of this in jeopardy by locking out workers.

Sign a petition at this website,
http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the conpany's local community! Petiton will be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg

[gribly]

Did/do you have anything to do with this union? Your posts look awfully suspicious. If it wasn't for the 242 posts and the rep I'd assume you were some kind of spammer.

[greaseyfingers]

Did/do you have anything to do with this union? Your posts look awfully suspicious. If it wasn't for the 242 posts and the rep I'd assume you were some kind of spammer.

I'm just a local citizen and sugar worker trying to help inform the general public, as to what the issues and concerns are that the sugar industry is facing by locking out it's union workers.

You can also help out these locked out sugar workers by signing their website petition, if you want to be supportive of their cause.

[wrecking-crew]

Why did they lock out the workers? I don't remember reading that anywhere.

[v8nick]

There are a lot of misconceptions about unions. So first off i will say, yes I am a union member, so flame away if you must. Labor unions brought you the labor laws that protect you and I today. They also brought you a standard 40 hour work week and overtime pay. Oh and a holiday too, that I don't get paid for. Are unions needed today? Yes and No. Like I said I am a member, but I see where the unions have hurt themselves. The fact is that even non union plants pay decent wages, but some only do because of the very threat of a union. And just so we get this straight, I am a union drywall finisher. I have worked both sides of the fence. I will take the union any day. However I don't think teachers, sports players, or any government employee for that matter needs a union. Let me give you a few facts about my union. First off, we get NO paid holidays. This is the first year in 5 years that i have seen a raise on my check. Yes we did get raises, but they had to be allocated to cover the ever rising cost of health insurance and retirement. Oh and our insurance, its a joke. We also don't get paid vacations. And my local union, is the second lowest paid union in the state of Missouri. And this B.S. about getting raises for nothing, sorry we don't do that either. You have to go to school. You have to do your homework. Only your first raise is guaranteed, after that it's up to you, and the journeyman that evaluates you. Yes once you graduate the apprenticeship program, you make the same as everyone else. But here's the catch, if you don't work and produce you go home. You don't stand around. I am a foreman for the company that I work for. We don't put up with slackers at all. You don't work, you won't work. period. I must say this, if you are in the construction industry, yes unions are needed. Not only do the unions keep wages up for us, but for nonunion guys as well. I'm sorry but I'm not going to finish drywall for $10 an hour or less. I can work at Walmart and make that and not have to deal with the health hazards that I deal with on a daily basis. So flame away if you must. But really only 18% of the work force is union, does it really piss the other 82% off that much that we can't have our unions? And why can't we work under a collective bargaining agreement? Would you just rather work for something you are promised that can be taken away at anytime, or would you rather work for something that is guranteed in writing for a set period of time?

[v8nick]

BTW, not only are all of the employees of the company that I work for union, so are the company owners. Even they see the importance and relevance of being union. And just so you know, some work that we bid on can only be bid on by union contractors, as required by the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

[Will]

What I want to know is--where is Hoffa's body? I heard it was in a 55-gallon drum sunk in the Everglades.

[killj0y]

Yea stop complaining most if the country's labor force doesn't get holidays boo hoo. and pay? These days if your making anything more than minimum wage your off to a good start, if you get ANY benefits congratulations! Seriously were in a recession sh%t is bad. If you have time to complain you aren't working nearly as hard as most of the country, that is if you have the privilege to work these days. Quit complaining and work, if your higher wages causes the system to collapse, guess what....not only do you not get good pay, you get no pay!!!! So suck it up and get to work!!! Seriously I barely have time to sleep, and there is people who have time to complain...reminds me of teens these days whining that their job and pay suck but they make no effort to improve their situation. Stop blaming everything, that included the usual too, immigration, taxes, and all that stuff, make yourself indispensable and you won't have to complain. It's simple effin economics, supply and demand. If there are 1000 people ready, willing, and able to do your job, obviously your lucky to be employed period. I know veterans, people with masters and doctorates degrees, and years of experience and they are sucking it up and doing something about not being employed, or just getting a better job. The day your job becomes undesirable, truly hard (not just in the physical sense), or just plain hard to find candidates for then Bitch about crappy pay. Otherwise pay attention and find a way to be better. There are starving people, and I mean truly starving people in this country, consider yourself lucky...

[killj0y]

Sorry for the rant, just tired of all this crap

[killj0y]

Talk trucks, talk tech, or talk sh%t otherwise post this in a political forum. The guys here are red blooded americans, legit, if they wanted to hear about politics they'd watch cspan. Ask for an opinion not a vote, or go home. Ok rant over for reals :)

[killj0y]

For the record I work 60+ hours a week I wish I had time to worry about this stuff AND work on my truck! But my truck, family and job come first!

[straycat]

What I want to know is--where is Hoffa's body? I heard it was in a 55-gallon drum sunk in the Everglades.

Hoffa's body is buried beneath a stack of sugar.....lol

:icon_rofl::icon_rofl::icon_rofl:

[BDAB]

Ftr....... I am non- union, college drop out, and I make about $40 an hour straight pay, no over time pay. You don't need to in a union to have a decent job...... Get a cdl, buy a truck and work hard. Build a reputation....... Then the good contracts fall in your lap.

[shane96ranger]

Nearly 10% of this country is unemployed and people who have jobs are still boobing about an unfair shake. Amazing.

[LIMA BEAN]

When my hot lil redhead girlfriend and I form a union the sugar and honey pay is outstanding, she makes me want to work hard. :drool:

[theboatcapt]

Are you kidding ? UAW,teachers unions and federal employee unions are bad in so many ways. They are exempt from Obama health care. The get the Cadillac top of the line health care and don't pay any penalty,or premiums, as the rest of us would. Why? Becasue they contirbuted millions to the democratic party. That means John Q Publc (tax payers) will pay more than their share while unions don't. You are a union hack.
What happened to the statement by the Presiden," If you want to keep your present doctor you can", We can't-unions can! I've been in a union and I was the shop steward. I found out first hand how you guys want it all and you expect the rest of us to pay your share. Most of your rant is democratic party talking points. Your and your union is pathetic.

[straycat]

Sorry for the rant, just tired of all this crap

No big deal, Bro..I do so as well!!!! Let's not get me started about CEO's who get fired and walk away with millions in severance pay...what about the workers who get shafted and get pay cuts and days off with no pay?? These pos CEO's get paid even if the company is not turning a profit. Sugar Union, my ass!!! Lets talk about what the CEO's of this guy’s idiot sugar factory makes. Just look up the company name and see what these pos CEO's make.

Here is my reply to this:

Stand With Sugar Workers

For generations, the sugar beet industry has been the lifeblood of Northwest Minnesota’s Red River Valley.

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and farmers to protect and advance the sugar industry.

Together, the workers, company and growers have helped to build the local economy, support families, and made communities flourish. Now, American Crystal has put all of this in jeopardy by locking out workers.

Sign our petition at this website,
http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/ac...ction_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the community! To be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and growers to protect and advance the sugar industry. They worked hard for the sugar program, farm bill, and stood up against the North American Free Trade Agreement and many other unfair trade agreements that hurt the sugar beet industry.

Together, the workers, company and farmers have built the local economy, supported families, and helped communities flourish.

We respectfully urge you to reconsider your take-back plans and let your union workers stay on the job.


We can look up your stupid company and see what the CEO's make and what you workers there make.

Take a hike!!!!!
:thefinger::thefinger:

Time for a modarator to close this post, guys........

[v8nick]

Yea stop complaining most if the country's labor force doesn't get holidays boo hoo. and pay? These days if your making anything more than minimum wage your off to a good start, if you get ANY benefits congratulations! Seriously were in a recession sh%t is bad. If you have time to complain you aren't working nearly as hard as most of the country, that is if you have the privilege to work these days. Quit complaining and work, if your higher wages causes the system to collapse, guess what....not only do you not get good pay, you get no pay!!!! So suck it up and get to work!!! Seriously I barely have time to sleep, and there is people who have time to complain...reminds me of teens these days whining that their job and pay suck but they make no effort to improve their situation. Stop blaming everything, that included the usual too, immigration, taxes, and all that stuff, make yourself indispensable and you won't have to complain. It's simple effin economics, supply and demand. If there are 1000 people ready, willing, and able to do your job, obviously your lucky to be employed period. I know veterans, people with masters and doctorates degrees, and years of experience and they are sucking it up and doing something about not being employed, or just getting a better job. The day your job becomes undesirable, truly hard (not just in the physical sense), or just plain hard to find candidates for then Bitch about crappy pay. Otherwise pay attention and find a way to be better. There are starving people, and I mean truly starving people in this country, consider yourself lucky...

I'm not complaining at all, just stating facts. Not trying to piss any one off here. I agree this should be moved to the political forum. And I don't think I am overpaid one bit. I work in hazardous conditions. You might not think so, come and work with me and you will find out what it's all about. And as far as working 60 hours a week goes, yeah been there, done that. As a matter of a fact for 2 months I worked 14 hours a day 7 days a week staight without a day off and only 2 breaks a day. 1 in the morning at 9:30 and the other at noon. And here is one interesting fact for you, if I worked nonunion, I would make more money. Non union guys get paid by the foot, not the hour for what i do. It's nothing really to make $1500 a week taping houses. But there are no benefits. That's why I joined the union to begin with, and when I joined we had no benefits except for retirement. And I have made myself valuable to the company I work for. I made them a profit off of the 2 jobs I ran after I became a foreman. I am certified in many areas that other guys aren't because they don't see the need for the extra classes.

theboatcapt: Are you kidding ? UAW,teachers unions and federal employee unions are bad in so many ways. They are exempt from Obama health care. The get the Cadillac top of the line health care and don't pay any penalty,or premiums, as the rest of us would. Why? Becasue they contirbuted millions to the democratic party. That means John Q Publc (tax payers) will pay more than their share while unions don't. You are a union hack.
What happened to the statement by the Presiden," If you want to keep your present doctor you can", We can't-unions can! I've been in a union and I was the shop steward. I found out first hand how you guys want it all and you expect the rest of us to pay your share. Most of your rant is democratic party talking points. Your and your union is pathetic.


I'm not a union hack dude. And I did say that teachers and public employees shouldn't have a union, and you will get no love from me for the UAW. My insurance sucks. And I do pay premiums, to the tune of $700 a month. You want to pay that for me? I guarantee you wouldn't want to pay it, especially with the crappy coverage we get. Anytime i have to go to the doctor I have to fight with Healthlink just to get them to pay. And what about crooked corporations like Walmart who contribute millions to the republicans? You seriously can't blame the democrats for the mess we are in. It's both parties faults, not just one. Oh, and I am not a democrat, I'm an independent.

[straycat]

Are you kidding ? UAW,teachers unions and federal employee unions are bad in so many ways. They are exempt from Obama health care. The get the Cadillac top of the line health care and don't pay any penalty,or premiums, as the rest of us would. Why? Becasue they contirbuted millions to the democratic party. That means John Q Publc (tax payers) will pay more than their share while unions don't. You are a union hack.
What happened to the statement by the Presiden," If you want to keep your present doctor you can", We can't-unions can! I've been in a union and I was the shop steward. I found out first hand how you guys want it all and you expect the rest of us to pay your share. Most of your rant is democratic party talking points. Your and your union is pathetic.

You are not right about some of that, Bro. But not all of it. Here in Florida Gov. Scott and all the legislatures only pay $35.00 a month for their entire family health care. What a deal for them and not for the rest of us. My wife is a school teacher and she has to pay more into her retirement now because of Dick the Rick Scott and his cronies who also voted this year and passed a new law that they can now legally accept bribes!! We have to now pay 8% of our money towards my wife's retirement. She lost the 3% that the state gave her before due to Dick the Rick Scott. So 8% less of her pay means less money in our pockets and we can fell the pinch it has added to our income this year.

[v-8power]

After working in some of the places i have, Im glad to be a union member.

This one place i worked at had a layoff and i had only been there 3 weeks. They laid off people that had yrs of service and kept me. Never could figure that one out.

So you guys know, i dont really care if you dislike unions or not.

[v8nick]

I've been a member of Painters Local 1185 since 1998, and I'm proud of it. Here's another thing that agravates me about union pay misunderstanding; there is a thing called prevaling wage. More often than not, prevaling wage is the union wage plus the cost of benefits added to the non union employees check. Now knowing this, you also need to know how prevailing wage is determined and who determines it. The Department of Labor determines what the prevailing wage rate will be in each state or county, however it is setup. They come to the determination by reviewing hourly pay and actual hours worked by all employees of all companies, union or not.all companies are required by law to report all wages paid and all hours worked by all employees. Now knowing that, and knowing that there are way more non union employees than union employees, we could say that there will be more nonunion hours and wages reported. So why are prevailing wages the union scale? Because the non union contractors are not reporting their wages as required by law and the unions are. Why don't the non unions report their wages? Probably because they are doing something illegal, because it would be in their best interests to report wages and keep the prevailing wage low.

[v8nick]

One more thing, i remember back in the day 1993-95 or so, I worked 2 jobs at 40 hours a week each. Both were minimum wage jobs and if I remember right min. wage was $4.25 an hour back then. I had to rely on foodstamps to help feed me and my wife. That's right, my wife at a ripe old age of 19, and a kid. And then I got a job being a cub finishing drywall for $5.00 an hour. Then I moved up to $6.00 an hour. Did that for a year, then went to work at a steel factory learning to paint for $6.50 an hour, and never worked less than 50 hours a week there. I did that for 2 years and then bounced around until I joined the union. Now people want me to go back to nonunion and a lower wage after I worked my way to where I am? I don't think so. I earned my spot where I am. You know when all this recession hit and the bailouts started, i remember CEO's of big corporations expecting the same thing of their employees, and everyone was pissed off at the thought of a hard working man or woman having to give up their pay to keep the CEOs in their lavish lifestyle. So tell me again why I should give up my pay and benefits because someone else doesn't have what I have? I earned my way here. And for you all that think I must make all of this great money because I am a union member, well here ya go. In a previous post I said we didn't have insurance when I first joined. We got it in 2001. At that time I was making almost $19 an hour. When we got the insurance we took almost a $2 an hour cut in pay. So I was down to just over $17 an hour 11 years ago. Right now i make about $21 an hour. So now my pay is about $2 an hour more than where I was at before I got insurance 11 years ago. Not much of a pay increase over 11 years is it? Compare that with the paychecks of CEOs from now and 11 years ago, or our politicians for that matter. And i am the evil guy here? Take from me to make sure the lesser paid guy gets more, sounds like Obama's plan for redistribution if you ask me, who's the democrat here?

[straycat]

Unions can be a good thing or a bad thing. What really happens it that when union member get that huge pay raise the cost of goods go up and the consumers have to pick it up. That means after awhile the consumers will slowly stop spending as much and that is not good.
One of my Brother-in-laws has a job with Ford in Ohio on an assembly line. He is on his 30th year. He makes over $90,000 a year and works a 4 day work week. He gets to take a 2 hour lunch break. When ever we go up to visit them he goes into work and punches in and then comes home to be with all of us. He has his supervisor or another co-worker punch him out at the end of the day and he gets paid for the days he does not work and he does not have to use his vacation time. He has been doing this for over 20 years. That must be really nice. He said the union there protects his job!!! But what ticks me off is...he does not drive a Ford..he drives a lifted 4x4 Dakota. He takes that money but won't buy a Ford. He wife drives an 09 Sport Trac.

[06RangerXLT]

This thread needs to get locked... has nothing to do with truck discussions.

[Ranger Dave (B25)]

.

Sign a petition at this website,
http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the conpany's local community! Petiton will be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg

Again: screw your union.

[shane96ranger]

Unions can be a good thing or a bad thing. What really happens it that when union member get that huge pay raise the cost of goods go up and the consumers have to pick it up. That means after awhile the consumers will slowly stop spending as much and that is not good.
One of my Brother-in-laws has a job with Ford in Ohio on an assembly line. He is on his 30th year. He makes over $90,000 a year and works a 4 day work week. He gets to take a 2 hour lunch break. When ever we go up to visit them he goes into work and punches in and then comes home to be with all of us. He has his supervisor or another co-worker punch him out at the end of the day and he gets paid for the days he does not work and he does not have to use his vacation time. He has been doing this for over 20 years. That must be really nice. He said the union there protects his job!!! But what ticks me off is...he does not drive a Ford..he drives a lifted 4x4 Dakota. He takes that money but won't buy a Ford. He wife drives an 09 Sport Trac.

And this is where unions have done their disservice to the rest of the American workers. This is why unions are hated.

This thread needs to get locked... has nothing to do with truck discussions.

However, it is a General Discussion

[greaseyfingers]

There are a lot of misconceptions about unions. So first off i will say, yes I am a union member, so flame away if you must. Labor unions brought you the labor laws that protect you and I today. They also brought you a standard 40 hour work week and overtime pay. Oh and a holiday too, that I don't get paid for. Are unions needed today? Yes and No. Like I said I am a member, but I see where the unions have hurt themselves. The fact is that even non union plants pay decent wages, but some only do because of the very threat of a union. And just so we get this straight, I am a union drywall finisher. I have worked both sides of the fence. I will take the union any day. However I don't think teachers, sports players, or any government employee for that matter needs a union. Let me give you a few facts about my union. First off, we get NO paid holidays. This is the first year in 5 years that i have seen a raise on my check. Yes we did get raises, but they had to be allocated to cover the ever rising cost of health insurance and retirement. Oh and our insurance, its a joke. We also don't get paid vacations. And my local union, is the second lowest paid union in the state of Missouri. And this B.S. about getting raises for nothing, sorry we don't do that either. You have to go to school. You have to do your homework. Only your first raise is guaranteed, after that it's up to you, and the journeyman that evaluates you. Yes once you graduate the apprenticeship program, you make the same as everyone else. But here's the catch, if you don't work and produce you go home. You don't stand around. I am a foreman for the company that I work for. We don't put up with slackers at all. You don't work, you won't work. period. I must say this, if you are in the construction industry, yes unions are needed. Not only do the unions keep wages up for us, but for nonunion guys as well. I'm sorry but I'm not going to finish drywall for $10 an hour or less. I can work at Walmart and make that and not have to deal with the health hazards that I deal with on a daily basis. So flame away if you must. But really only 18% of the work force is union, does it really piss the other 82% off that much that we can't have our unions? And why can't we work under a collective bargaining agreement? Would you just rather work for something you are promised that can be taken away at anytime, or would you rather work for something that is guranteed in writing for a set period of time?

Workers fight lockout
imposed by American Crystal Sugar

There was nothing good in this contract. That is why it was rejected and is being picketed in front of the American Crystal Sugar factories.

1,300 sugar union workers have been locked out since August 1 at five sugar plants in the Red River Valley region of Minnesota (Crookston, Moorhead, East Grand Forks) and North Dakota (Hillsboro, Drayton). Workers are also locked out at two smaller processing plants in Chaska, a suburb of Minneapolis, and in Mason City, Iowa. American Crystal is the largest beet-sugar producer in the United States, for those of you who don't know.

By a margin of 96 percent, more than 1,200 workers voted July 30 to reject the company’s “final” contract offer. The workers are members of five locals of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM).

All these sugar workers voted no, becaise the whole package was rotten. It was 40-plus pages of takeaways. The company brought up wages at the end of negotiations and then tried to bribe us with a $2,000 signing bonus.

That was aimed at the public, to make it look like a good offer. What we gain in wages—4 percent the first year, 3 percent the second, and 2 percent each following year—would be taken away by increases in the company’s proposed health-care plan.”

The union reports that higher premiums, out-of-pocket expenses, and larger deductibles would double health-care costs for members.

If that weren’t enough, the company has cut off medical coverage for locked-out workers. One sugar worker said that when she went to fill a prescription for heart medicine for her husband the evening of the contract vote, she was told the next 90-day supply will cost more than $500.

“We offered what we thought was a terrific contract,” Brian Ingulsrud, vice-president of American Crystal Sugar, told Associated Press. He said the company is “shocked and surprised” at the vote results.

According to Agweek, tensions escalated in the plants after the company introduced “shadowers,” or scabs, to learn workers’ jobs as part of its “contingency plan.” On July 18 Ingulsrud notified union workers to clear out their lockers and workspaces. The next day workers were told that “non-union personnel would be on-site during the week to observe various positions,” Agweek reported.

On the first day of the lockout, American Crystal began bringing in vanloads of “replacement workers.” They were hired by Strom Engineering, an anti-labor, scab-supply outfit.

In the days and weeks leading up to the contract deadline, hundreds of sugar workers organized protests in towns where the plants are located.

American Crystal is also demanding the ability to outsource work, to replace union work with nonunion contract workers, and to erode seniority. The company would have sole discretion on seniority rights.

Workers at American Crystal are organized into two tiers: year-round employees and so-called campaign workers, who work from the fall harvest through the beet-slicing campaign the next spring and receive worse wages and benefits. There are currently about 1,000 full-time and 263 campaign workers.

Under the prior contract, a worker qualifies as full time after working 75 percent of scheduled workdays in a year. The company is now seeking to raise the bar to 85 percent for all future workers.

That would mean a widening of the two-tier system.

Support for the locked-out BCTGM members is visible at the picket lines, both from union and nonunion workers. People driving by honk and give the thumbs up. Some donate water and food. In Moorhead a worker stopped his car in front of the pickets, rolled down his window, and yelled: “My union, the IBEW, called me and told me to come join the picket line.”

In Hillsboro signs expressing solidarity are up in the town’s bars. The owner of a block of stores donated an empty storefront to the union, which is now its headquarters.

In a letter to all locals in Teamsters Joint Council 32, covering Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, council president Susan Mauren wrote: “We are asking that Teamsters do not provide services or make deliveries to any of the American Crystal Sugar facilities during this lockout.”

[MrE_Powers]

The contract offer includes a 13% pay increase over five years. A $2,000 signing bonus included in the previous contract offer is not part of the revised contract.
Thirteen-hundred workers at American Crystal Sugar were locked out by the company on August 1 after workers overwhelmingly rejected the company's contract offer.
the pay raise rate is higher then i got, and i didnt get a bonusOfficials from American Crystal point out the amended contract offer addresses two major union concerns. It revises the subcontracting language to guarantee that no employee or position will be eliminated due to subcontracting. The new offer would also delay by a year implementation of a new health care plan that would increase health care costs for union workers. healthcare is going up for every one NOW so i dont see this one and sub contracting sounds like business is growing and cannot meet labor demand

[BDAB]

If I go in there to pick up a load the first one of you union hacks (this union, teamsters, any union) that touches my truck get run over and I won't even slow down.

[v-8power]

If I go in there to pick up a load the first one of you union hacks (this union, teamsters, any union) that touches my truck get run over and I won't even slow down.

That'll show em!!!!!!!!!!!!

[wrecking-crew]

Workers fight lockout
imposed by American Crystal Sugar --
If that weren’t enough, the company has cut off medical coverage for locked-out workers. One sugar worker said that when she went to fill a prescription for heart medicine for her husband the evening of the contract vote, she was told the next 90-day supply will cost more than $500.--
They don't work there, why should they get it?
-- On the first day of the lockout, American Crystal began bringing in vanloads of “replacement workers.” They were hired by Strom Engineering, an anti-labor, scab-supply outfit.-- Good. More people are now employed.
--In a letter to all locals in Teamsters Joint Council 32, covering Minnesota, Iowa, and North and South Dakota, council president Susan Mauren wrote: “We are asking that Teamsters do not provide services or make deliveries to any of the American Crystal Sugar facilities during this lockout.” --So in other words, you want to screw people out of money, jobs and work because you think you deserve more. You also want to make it hard on the company you want to work for. Do you think they want your asses back there? Most likely... No. That is what I am getting from this.


A job is a job now a-days. Maybe this will be good for the company you "want" to work for.

[greaseyfingers]

Here is your chance to listen some real talented guitar and harmonica playing songs, by an affected sugar worker, conceringing American Crystal Sugar Company locking out all of it's workers, that have made this Company 3.1 Billion Dollars Profit, for each of the four last years, prior to the lockout..

While the American Crystal sugar CEO, Dave Berg gives himself a big pay raise increase, so he can get paid a whopping 2.44 Million Dollars, a year, at the Company's Farmer Owned Share Holder's and Union Worker's expenxe..


Click on the Website links, below, and you can listen to these great songs..

American Crystal Sugar lockout song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8uZrtC7VE

American Crystal Sugar CEO is 1% of a man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IguX7mc5q8o

Dead Scab in The Middle of the road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbJqRrk6GUM

Vote for the one who's Broke Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhQYjk1d9pY

American Crystal Sugar CEO loses it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwFzGCEb_-Q


American Crystal Sugar Company locking out Employees

Workday Minnesota coverage of the lockout at American Crystal Sugar.

More than 1,300 workers at American Crystal Sugar facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa have been locked out of their jobs since Aug. 1. 2011.

They have helped make Crystal Sugar the largest and most profitable producer of sugar from beets in the United States, but the company is seeking to undercut their wages, benefits and job security.

American Crystal Sugar Company locking out EMPLOYEE VIDEOS

Here is the website link to watch the American Crystal Sugar Employee lockout Videos..
GREAT VIDEOS and VERY INTERESTING..
CLICK ON Website link below to Watch..
http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278

[greaseyfingers]

Prior to the American Crystal Sugar ockout, the Union's Highly Skilled Sugar Processing Technician Workers made net profits of over 3.1 billion dollars, during each of the last four years for the Company, before the Union Workers were locked out by the American Crystal Sugar Company..

As a result, Dave Berg, CEO for American Crystal Sugar, has increased his pay to over 2.4million dollars, a year, at the Unioon Worker's Expense, while pretending to save the Company money..

The other upper management people, at American Crystal Sugar's Corporate Office, have aslo increased their yearly pay, at the Union Worker's Expense..

This Union lockout has cost the American Crystal Sugar Company many millions of dollars, due to many Rail Road cars full of unfit sugar being made, by non union, inexperienced workers, that did not meet specification standards for large industry customers, resulting in contracts being unfulfilled and lost..

American Crystal Sugar Company, is a co op owned by the farmers who grow the sugar beets for processing into sugar, that have been taking a loss on their beet crop payments, due to inefficient sugar processing by unskilled, non union workers..

Here is the website link to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 6 VIDEOS to Watch

Workday Minnesota coverage of the lockout at American Crystal Sugar.

More than 1,300 workers at American Crystal Sugar facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa have been locked out of their jobs since Aug. 1. 2011.

They have helped make Crystal Sugar the largest and most profitable producer of sugar from beets in the United States, but the company is seeking to undercut their wages, benefits and job security.

Here is the website link to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 6 VIDEOS to Watch

Call American Crystal Sugar to Stop the Lockout

CALL 1-218-236-4400 and tell American Crystal Sugar's CEO, Dave Berg not to turn his back on workers and the community.

Here are some talking points to use during your call:

- My name is ______ and I'd like to share consumer feedback about your company.

- As a consumer who cares about the way a company treats its workers, I was disappointed to hear that American Crystal Sugar has locked out its employees in the Midwest.

- You are a profitable, successful company, and there's no excuse to squeeze your workers so hard when they are just asking for a fair deal for themselves and their families.

- I urge you to immediately end the company's strike against your workers and meet with their union representatives to negotiate, in good faith, a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement.

- Thank you.

[straycat]

I don't use added sugar. Don't buy it and have not in over 35 years. If you want to stop somebody from making a huge CEO profit...boycott them and stop using their products....best way to get their attention.

[CarsonChris]

Unions killed the twinkie

[v8nick]

No, unions did not kill the twinkie. Hostess's mismanagement of funds and greed did. The bakers union could have signed an interim agreement to continue to work while a new contract was hashed out. That's really what they should have done, especially with an imminent shut down looming. Think about this, the hostess ceo gives himself a 300% raise, the rest of the execs and management got a 100% raise, but then told the workers they have to take a pay cut of 8%, which they agreed to, but then they were told that they also needed to pay in 32% more to thier insurance. Yeah, I would be pissed too.

Oh, and American Crystal has employment ads posted down here in Missouri.

[daniel3507]

A frozen twinkie sounds amazing right now.

[det107]

I don't use added sugar. Don't buy it and have not in over........
Thread-jacking about the (south) Florida sugar cane business is coming to an end. Pretty much about restoring the swampland so the water can filter naturally.
Stray is right on the money about the honey being beneficial.
Greasey has a good point & I have been in the unions, no complaints-

[Tedybear]

No, unions did not kill the twinkie. Hostess's mismanagement of funds and greed did. The bakers union could have signed an interim agreement to continue to work while a new contract was hashed out. That's really what they should have done, especially with an imminent shut down looming. Think about this, the hostess ceo gives himself a 300% raise, the rest of the execs and management got a 100% raise, but then told the workers they have to take a pay cut of 8%, which they agreed to, but then they were told that they also needed to pay in 32% more to thier insurance. Yeah, I would be pissed too.

Oh, and American Crystal has employment ads posted down here in Missouri.

Actually the union did kill off Hostess. You know how things go down when the teamsters actually bent over backwards and worked WITH the company to maintain the jobs. And the teamsters went to bat for the company and urged the bakers union to accept the deal offered. The bakers union felt they could hold out and pressure Hostess into digging even deeper into the wallets. Hostess warned them---work with us...or everyone looses.

We all know what happened next. When you get your news sources from "Union Friendly" supporters? It's tainted. Unions used to serve a purpose--now they are just sucking companies dry--and the members honestly do not gain much from it---unlike the union BOSSES that love the power play.....

S-

[PanamaExpat]

For many years I have lived where the cane fields go on for miles and miles. And with workers in these locations making and average of $20 per day there is no way the American sugar industry can compete. Especially with union wages and benefits. I am going to come under a lot of fire for this but until the American worker quits whining and starts working you are going to see more and more of this exact same thing happening. What makes you feel you are so entitled to $35 plus per hour and the worlds best insurance and retirement packages? The days of the union are over. You either need to learn to compete or you will be sitting at home watching reruns of Happy Days.

Looks like a lot of northern farmers will be switching from sugar beets to soybeans this year.

[straycat]

No no no no no!!!! 'Video killed the radio star' lol

[FritzTKatt]

I work in a place that still needs a union because of poor management.

Seriously, every single employee would be fired within 6 months of hiring if the union didn't exist, and not because of poor performance, work ethic, or skill. Plain and simple the boss is just a scumbag only concerned about his bonus check.

The pay and benefits we get are deserved for our efforts, and the company makes at least 50 million a year, from about 20 skilled guys such as myself. The sister company (same owners), is likely making 100+ million a year (not to mention their 6 other locations, world-wide).

I think they can afford to pay for the guy whose busted his balls' heart medicine for the last 30 years. They can pay me an extra damn $.40 an hour every 6 months. It's a drop in the bucket to them. Or maybe they just won't be able to play 1 more round of golf this year... nevermind that, they'll just fly down to someplace that's sunny on their private plane.

It's all about greed. The rich getting richer while we (union or not), bust our balls and grind our knuckles still deal with their crap.

We had a holiday "party" this past year. One of the owners showed up and ate some of the crappy BBQ. He mentioned how it was better than one of his restaurants.

That's the cold hard truth. Albeit not saying a union couldn't push a company out of business, but in a situation like mine, they need to stop complaining and just give it up. We work hard to make them such massive profits, yet get little in return, sometimes even locked out. My company has made threats to open a plant down in Texas (major customers down there) that's non-union. They actually already own the place but don't use it!

[greaseyfingers]

American Crystal Sugar Company locks out it's workers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

PLEASE Stand With the Sugar Workers, Your Support Will Be Appreciated..

For generations, the sugar beet industry has been the lifeblood of Northwest Minnesota’s Red River Valley.

Sugar workers have always stood shoulder to shoulder with American Crystal Sugar and farmers to protect and advance the sugar industry.

Together, the workers, company and growers have helped to build the local economy, support families, and made communities flourish.

Now, American Crystal has put all of this in jeopardy by locking out it's workers, due to Corporate Greediness.

PLEASE Sign our petition at the website link, below, telling CEO Dave Berg:
Don't turn your back on the community!

http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/ac...ction_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the community! To be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg


Prior to the American Crystal Sugar ockout, the Union's Highly Skilled Sugar Processing Technician Workers made net profits of over 3.1 billion dollars, during each of the last four years for the Company, before the Union Workers were locked out by the American Crystal Sugar Company..

As a result, Dave Berg, CEO for American Crystal Sugar, has increased his pay to over 2.4 million dollars, a year, at the Union Worker's Expense, while pretending to save the Company money..

The other upper management people, at American Crystal Sugar's Corporate Office, have aslo increased their yearly pay, at the Union Worker's Expense..

This Union lockout has cost the American Crystal Sugar Company many millions of dollars, due to many Rail Road cars full of unfit sugar being made, by non union, inexperienced workers, that did not meet specification standards for large industry customers, resulting in contracts being unfulfilled and lost..

American Crystal Sugar Company, is a co op owned by the farmers who grow the sugar beets for processing into sugar, that have been taking a loss on their beet crop payments, due to inefficient sugar processing by unskilled, non union workers..

Here is the website link, below, to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 ~ (6 VIDEOS to Watch)


Workday Minnesota coverage of the lockout at American Crystal Sugar.

More than 1,300 workers at American Crystal Sugar facilities in Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa have been locked out of their jobs since Aug. 1. 2011.

They have helped make Crystal Sugar the largest and most profitable producer of sugar from beets in the United States, but the company is seeking to undercut their wages, benefits and job security.

Here is the website link, below, to watch American Crystal Sugar lockout Videos, very interesting

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?article_1_278 ~ (6 VIDEOS to Watch)


PLEASE Call American Crystal Sugar to Stop the Lockout

CALL 1-218-236-4400 and tell American Crystal Sugar's CEO, Dave Berg not to turn his back on workers and the community.

Here are some talking points to use during your call:


- My name is ______ and I'd like to share consumer feedback about your company.

- As a consumer who cares about the way a company treats its workers, I was disappointed to hear that American Crystal Sugar has locked out its employees in the Midwest.

- You are a profitable, successful company, and there's no excuse to squeeze your workers so hard when they are just asking for a fair deal for themselves and their families.

- I urge you to immediately end the company's strike against your workers and meet with their union representatives to negotiate, in good faith, a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement.

- Thank you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[wildbill23c]

Actually the union did kill off Hostess. You know how things go down when the teamsters actually bent over backwards and worked WITH the company to maintain the jobs. And the teamsters went to bat for the company and urged the bakers union to accept the deal offered. The bakers union felt they could hold out and pressure Hostess into digging even deeper into the wallets. Hostess warned them---work with us...or everyone looses.

We all know what happened next. When you get your news sources from "Union Friendly" supporters? It's tainted. Unions used to serve a purpose--now they are just sucking companies dry--and the members honestly do not gain much from it---unlike the union BOSSES that love the power play.....

S-

100% correct. Unions are what have been driving jobs out of this country. The other reason is Clinton's Free Trade agreement allowing free imports into the country. Bad news for any company out there, and the unions just shoved the rest of the business right out of existence as quickly as they open their mouths demanding more wages for already overpaid under-worked employees.

[det107]

My company has made threats to open a plant down in Texas (major customers down there) that's non-union.
I recall representatives from Texas was trying to lure my old job (manufacturing) down there due to the 'no tax base'. The company turned them down to stay in New York-

[FritzTKatt]

That's still pretty far fetched.

I will give it to the rich that some of them didn't get rich by being lazy idiots (like their children likely will). Usually they will treat their employees well, knowing it is them who actually makes them money.

[Tedybear]

I was waiting for the "Black Helicopters" to start flying out. Look, it's not hardcore documented proof of anything--and it's speculation about the Illumanati that it even exists.

I think it's safe to say that you just lost a lot of possible support for your cause by going off the deep end. I'll stand by my old saying "Have you ever gotten a job from a poor man?" The rich people everyone seems to love to lambast as being greedy and all that junk? They are the ones that create the jobs and employee thousands of people. They take all the risk with new products and designs. One poor choice? And they could lose MILLIONS! But it's their money to loose---or earn!

Anyone that sits back and goes along the lines of "They already earn so much---they shouldn't NEED all that money, so we should take it from them". That person drunk so much of the kool aid it's not even funny. Sure they earned so much! But they also return a lot of $$ with R and D. New products and such-and they also FUND innovation and new start up companies by INVESTING!

It's just the feel good crapola that the OWS croud of idiots was spewing out. Let's steal from the rich bastards.....let's take down Wall Street!! Greedy Bastards....They don't need all that money and cars/toys.... I'm POOR and I demand MY fair share! It's all an excuse. Come up with a product, service, or something the general public needs, wants, and desires. Market it and find an investor backing. (probably one of those rich bastards you've spent years bashing....) And you'll be rich as well--and you'll have to fight off union thugs and other idiots that think just because YOU own it? You don't deserve it.

This is all going back to the entitlement mindset, and it's rotting this country from the inside out. There is no self reliance, There is no personal accounting, There's only ME ME ME ME ME ME ME...I WANT I WANT I WANT....

S-

[FritzTKatt]

No no no, it's not about trying to rip them off or anything, it's about us, the employees, the ones doing the work, also being able to live a good lifestyle, not worrying about putting food on the table and clothes on our backs. It's part of giving back to the people that earned you the money.

If I make you $100 doing whatever, would you give me a dollar here or there? I'd return the favor.

We do these jobs because noone else can. The heat exchanger market is quite a niche. It takes about 2-3 years of experience to be able to completely build one, correctly, the first time. Now if you have 10 years in the trades already, then it'll just be easier. But to be exposed to all the variants and materials, takes that long. So now go build these in China, with poor quality materials and unskilled workers. See how many more refinery explosions there are.

Any of you guys ever actually worked union before?

We definitely are not underworked or lazy, in fact we work a hell of a lot of overtime, 1st and 2nd shift. We don't screw around on the job any more than any other place, and when the boss comes out he always catches us... WORKING.

We're not afraid of working non union, but in a way we are. We've all done it, but the company may then decide to F-- the workers. It's protection.

I will agree in some cases unions are out-dated and unnecessary, but in many they don't hurt anyone and serve to protect.

[greaseyfingers]

Locked out American Crystal Sugar worker plays guitar, harmonica, and sings his own songs about Corporate Greed and American Crystal Sugar locking out all of it's Union Workers, that have made this Company 3.1 Billion Dollars Profit, for each of the last four years, prior to the lockout..

While the American Crystal sugar CEO, Dave Berg gives himself a big pay raise increase, so he can get paid a whopping 2.44 Million Dollars, a year, at the expense of the Company's Farmer Owned Share Holders and Union Workers..

Click on the Website links, below, and you can listen to these awesome songs..

American Crystal Sugar lockout song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pE8uZrtC7VE

American Crystal Sugar CEO, Dave Berg is 1% of a man
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IguX7mc5q8o

Dead Scab in The Middle of the road
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbJqRrk6GUM

Vote for the one who's Broke
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhQYjk1d9pY

[greaseyfingers]

I was waiting for the "Black Helicopters" to start flying out. Look, it's not hardcore documented proof of anything--and it's speculation about the Illumanati that it even exists.

I think it's safe to say that you just lost a lot of possible support for your cause by going off the deep end. I'll stand by my old saying "Have you ever gotten a job from a poor man?" The rich people everyone seems to love to lambast as being greedy and all that junk? They are the ones that create the jobs and employee thousands of people. They take all the risk with new products and designs. One poor choice? And they could lose MILLIONS! But it's their money to loose---or earn!

Anyone that sits back and goes along the lines of "They already earn so much---they shouldn't NEED all that money, so we should take it from them". That person drunk so much of the kool aid it's not even funny. Sure they earned so much! But they also return a lot of $$ with R and D. New products and such-and they also FUND innovation and new start up companies by INVESTING!

It's just the feel good crapola that the OWS croud of idiots was spewing out. Let's steal from the rich bastards.....let's take down Wall Street!! Greedy Bastards....They don't need all that money and cars/toys.... I'm POOR and I demand MY fair share! It's all an excuse. Come up with a product, service, or something the general public needs, wants, and desires. Market it and find an investor backing. (probably one of those rich bastards you've spent years bashing....) And you'll be rich as well--and you'll have to fight off union thugs and other idiots that think just because YOU own it? You don't deserve it.

This is all going back to the entitlement mindset, and it's rotting this country from the inside out. There is no self reliance, There is no personal accounting, There's only ME ME ME ME ME ME ME...I WANT I WANT I WANT....

S-

PLEASE Sign our petition at the website link, below, telling CEO Dave Berg:
Don't turn your back on the community!

http://act.aflcio.org/c/174/p/dia/ac...ction_KEY=2567, telling CEO Dave Berg: Don’t turn your back on the community! To be delivered to American Crystal Sugar CEO Dave Berg


PLEASE Call American Crystal Sugar to Stop the Lockout

CALL 1-218-236-4400 and tell American Crystal Sugar's CEO, Dave Berg not to turn his back on workers and the community.

Here are some talking points to use during your call:


- My name is ______ and I'd like to share consumer feedback about your company.

- As a consumer who cares about the way a company treats its workers, I was disappointed to hear that American Crystal Sugar has locked out its employees in the Midwest.

- You are a profitable, successful company, and there's no excuse to squeeze your workers so hard when they are just asking for a fair deal for themselves and their families.

- I urge you to immediately end the company's strike against your workers and meet with their union representatives to negotiate, in good faith, a fair and equitable collective bargaining agreement.

- Thank you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[AgPete139]

Greasyfingers,

You are now a SPAMMER. Please stop.


Thanks.

[509lifted]

agpete139 thank you i was about to say that since he keeps posting that and then starts a new thread just for that purpose, yea i feel for you guys that lost your jobs but in all reality it is their money and their company and they can do whatever they want with it be it run it in to the ground or fire everyone and start fresh again to make more money then so be it, quit complaining and go find another job so you aren't broke and can pay bills, just be lucky you have that job on your resume now and you can find a job of that sort again.

[PanamaExpat]

509 Well said. You know the problem is these guys get with a union and get lazy. That's right I came right out and said you get DAMN lazy. You punch in punch out and float along through life with no dreams, goals, or desires. You never had the GUTS to be an entrepreneur and step out on your own. Now you cry because you have worked the same job for 10 or 15 years and now times and things have changed and someone took your security blanket away. Well guess what. That's life. Life is full of changes. So you have to sell the Winnebago and the Mastercraft and get used to working for less money. Or get some gumption....something union worker generally lack and start your own business. If you think it's so damn easy try it and let us know how you make out. I have been self employed all my working years so I can tell you it ain't easy but if you hit it right it can be very rewarding. Get off the pity pot as we have given you all the sympathy that you are gonna get.

[doorgunner]

I have red all the posts.....

the good points remind me of workers in the '50s &'60s who took pride....

the bad points remind me of CONGRESS.....who...if they were doing their jobs like the workers of the 50's & 60's.....neither the Companies nor the workers would be at each others throats....because proper Legislationwould be enacted instead of $$$$Lobbyist spreading their dung/bribes.

Also. concerning the rich CEOs....exactly how many $$$,$$$,$$$ does it take to make an owner happy.....No--I'm not talking about Obama's Spreading the Wealth....I'm talking about realizing that your dependable workers would like to make ends meet---when times are good...give bonuses to deserving workers & set up an account to store some profits to tide the Company over during the bad times/when times are bad---used the account to keep your valued employees afloat by maintaining their jobs by letting them repair worn equipment/etc. until the economy improves

I'm talking about what the Bible refers to as not witholding reasonable pay from the hireling...in other words...when the rich man's storehouses are filled---do a good deed and help the workers exist without them having to work themselves inot the grave and never being able to spend time with their families/or make ends meet without worrying from paycheck to check....

You know......"that do unto others as you would have them do unto you" stuff...

Studies have shown that there is enough wealth in this world that no one has to do without....not the Shieks with their gold toilets...or the little black kid in Africa that is 10 years old & weighs 30 pounds....nor the American who works so much to make ends meet that he doesn't realize that his little daughter that he last saw on that tricycle is now 13 years old.

[a31ford]

Quote:
Originally Posted by straycat
I use natural raw honey that the bees produce for all my cooking and in my tea (hot and cold). Much more healthy for you.
[citation needed]
__________________
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shran
I get a chub just thinking about Volvo taillights fading away into the distance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by adsm08
I think Rangers are pussy trucks. Mine has gotten me so much pussy, if I have to fix it every day for the rest of my life, it has still earned it's keep.


WAY To funny !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Greg

[a31ford]

509 Well said. You know the problem is these guys get with a union and get lazy. That's right I came right out and said you get DAMN lazy. You punch in punch out and float along through life with no dreams, goals, or desires. You never had the GUTS to be an entrepreneur and step out on your own. Now you cry because you have worked the same job for 10 or 15 years and now times and things have changed and someone took your security blanket away. Well guess what. That's life. Life is full of changes. So you have to sell the Winnebago and the Mastercraft and get used to working for less money. Or get some gumption....something union worker generally lack and start your own business. If you think it's so damn easy try it and let us know how you make out. I have been self employed all my working years so I can tell you it ain't easy but if you hit it right it can be very rewarding. Get off the pity pot as we have given you all the sympathy that you are gonna get.

Panama.... Truth Hurts, doesn't it... You have hit the nail on the head...!

Greg

I guess everyone here just figured out that I HATE unions, they are for the weak.

Watch.... My rep will disappear in a second or two..................:dunno:

[Tedybear]

I think it was a decent analogy: I earn you $100.00 would it hurt you to give me $ 1.00.

You've earned them $100.00 and they paid you at least $15-$25-$30++ an hour. Depending on your current contract. They give you that $ 1.00 and it normally breaks down to $ 40 for the week.... times by the amount of workers that are complaining....let's say the shop has 500 employees all crying for that dollar. 40.00 x 500= $20,000.00 a week. $ 1,040,000 a year. So that's a bit more then a MILLION a year out of the company profits. 1.04 million they could be spending on R&D.....etc...

But sense it's just a "Rich Bastard" that makes millions a year they shouldn't miss it?

This isn't Robin Hood and his Merry little group of misfits. The only thing you get with Redistribution of wealth? Is now everyone equally miserable.

S-

[509lifted]

a31ford i hate unions to, the only thing i like is the company can't just fire you over nothing they have to have a genuine reason.

[a31ford]

a31ford i hate unions to, the only thing i like is the company can't just fire you over nothing they have to have a genuine reason.

I have to agree with you on that one, but DAM, that is a huge cost on the shoulders of the employee for one little perk.

Our Union where I work, (I HAVE to pay into it), cost me 845 bucks last year, plus the 1.5% earning tax on top of that.

Greg