More than 1,800 UFCW Local 271 members who work at Smithfield/Farmland Foods in Crete, Nebraska, have settled a new contract.

Workers in Crete took part in unified worksite actions over the past eight months with more than 10,000 workers at 12 UFCW local unions that are bargaining (or have recently settled) new contracts with Smithfield.

This unified bargaining approach is sending a strong message to Smithfield that UFCW members are willing to stick together for contracts that raise working conditions and living standards for meatpacking workers across the industry. One of the program’s goals was to show UFCW members at each plant that no one stood alone. Unity bargaining is producing the best contracts in the packing industry and changing the lives of workers.

In Crete, the new four-year contract:

• Increases wages by at least $1.50 over the four year term of the contract
• Improves health care coverage with controlled costs to workers
• Secures retirement
• Improves working conditions

These contracts are the latest of several major collective bargaining wins for UFCW packing and food processing members across the country. The UFCW represents 250,000 workers in this industry.