Published April 28, 2012, 09:55 AM
Crystal, union spar over processing costs
American Crystal Sugar Co. is denying union claims that a labor lockout has doubled processing costs for sugar beets harvested last year.
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — American Crystal Sugar Co. is denying union claims that a labor lockout has doubled processing costs for sugar beets harvested last year.
About 1,300 union workers at factories in North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa have been locked out since last August because of a contract dispute. Crystal is using replacement workers that the company says might become a permanent workforce.
The Minnesota AFL-CIO says Crystal's production costs have jumped 200 percent. Crystal spokesman Brian Ingulsrud tells Agweek that costs have gone up but that 200 percent is "not in the ballpark." He declined to give a figure.
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Tags: news, updates, labor, sugar
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