We are the union for Dold / Hormel workers!
We’re Dold Foods workers. We work tirelessly to put food on people’s tables while our company profits. But when it comes to our working conditions, our wages, or the way we’re treated, Dold just offers us broken promises.
We stood together in December of 2024 and voted YES to join thousands of other Hormel workers across the Midwest who already have the wages, protections, and strength of a union contract. But instead of respecting our election victory, Dold Foods has been trying everything they can to stop us. They even filed an objection with the government, who ruled that there needs to be a re-run election.
We’re appealing the government’s decision, and asking them to uphold the results of our historic election in 2024.
But while we believe our voice should have been heard the first time, we’re also ready to vote again on April 16th, and finally win our union once and for all.
We deserve real raises, protection from unfair discipline, and respect on the job. During our last election, Dold promised us all kinds of things to convince us to vote against joining a union. But the second the election was over, they broke their promises.
Whether we win our appeal or we’re forced to run another election, we’re not going anywhere.
No more broken promises. Respect us, protect us, and pay us what we deserve!
Election Information:
April 16th, 2026
| Dold Foods Training Room |
|---|
| 4:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. |
| 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
| 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
If you work at Dold Foods, it’s important that we hear from you. Reach out to one of our coworkers inside the facility or a union organizer using the form below to learn how you can get involved as we work to make Dold a strong union workplace.
Hormel Workers Explain the Union Difference
What We’re Fighting For at Dold Foods
The Wages and Bonuses We Deserve
Our work is demanding, and we deserve better wages to live in the communities we call home. We should never have to worry about our hard-earned annual bonus being taken away. That’s why we’re fighting for guaranteed wage increases and annual bonuses – all protected in writing.
A Better Points System and Transparency On The Job
We all make mistakes on the job, but this doesn’t mean we should be subjected to unfair discipline or punishment. The current point system at Dold is unevenly applied, and management allows favoritism, not fairness, to determine who is disciplined on the job.
With our union, we will re-work the way discipline is handled and establish a clear way to speak up when we are not being treated fairly. With a union contract backing us up, we will get policies in writing that create a fair work environment for everyone.
Better Vacation Policies and Sick Leave
Our work is physically demanding, and we can’t be expected to be on the floor 365 days a year. We deserve time to recharge, and we need sick days to take care of ourselves and our families.
That’s why we’re fighting for more paid time off and sick days secured in writing so we can balance our obligations, spend time with family, and make sure we stay healthy all year round.
Language Translation for Everyone
Our facility is diverse, and we all deserve to have equal access to the resources we need. We shouldn’t have to jump through hoops or wait forever to access important information about our pay and benefits, no matter what language we speak!
With our union, we’re fighting for interpreters on the floor and for written policies that are translated for all of us to access and understand in APD, Oracle, and the other platforms we regularly use.
Protections Against Favoritism and Ageism
Every single one of us works hard to keep Dold running smoothly, and we shouldn’t have to worry about whether we’ll be treated differently based on our age or our relationship with management.
Without a union, we don’t have many protections against favoritism, ageism, or other forms of discrimination. But, once we start our union, we can document issues when they happen and work with our union representatives to hold management to a fair standard!
A Say in the Future of Our Facility!
Thousands of our coworkers across the Midwest have already started their unions and secured a say in how their Hormel facilities are run. We deserve a union, too. They’ve started a new chapter where they get a voice in the policies that affect their careers, and it’s time we do the same thing here at Dold!
What Happens Next?
When Dold learned that we had won our union vote, they immediately filed challenges with the National Labor Relations Board to try and invalidate our election. They did this because they were scared that with a union, they would have to sit down and bargain with us on the things that matter to us most- like wages, protections, and equality.
Recently, the NLRB issued an order to rerun the election after finding that they made some mistakes when overseeing the election- like failing to provide enough language interpretation for workers.
And while we are fighting to preserve the results of the December 2024 victory, we are also ready to overwhelmingly vote Union YES again on April 16th.
It’s frustrating that Dold was able to slow this process down, but they can’t stop us from fighting back and winning our union once and for all.
We’re fighting to have the results of our first election recognized. But even if we are forced to re-run the election, we’ll be ready to stand up, vote union YES, and start winning the wages, benefits, and protections we deserve!
Dold Union Frequently Asked Questions
“When will we know if we’ve won our appeal or if we have to vote in a re-run election?“
While we’ve already sent our appeal to the National Labor Relations Board, asking for the results of our previous election to be upheld, we must wait for the government to consider our appeal and give their decision.
But we’re not wasting any time. We want to be prepared for either scenario- that’s why we’re also gearing up for a re-run election on April 16th in case the government doesn’t uphold our original vote.
“When do we start negotiating for the wages, benefits, and protections we need?“
The second we won our first election, we sent a letter to the company asking to sit down and start negotiating our union contract immediately. But instead of respecting the results of our election, Dold refused to meet. Instead, the company started doing everything they could to try and avoid recognizing our union and getting to work on negotiating a fair contract.
No more broken promises. It’s time for us to fight back and force Dold Foods to negotiate with us for a union contract that lays out our wages, benefits, and protections in writing.
“Do other Hormel workers have a union?“
Yes! In fact, the majority of Hormel workers across the Midwest already have their union. We share a parent company with these workers, and they’ve achieved incredible things by standing up for a voice on the job.
They regularly negotiate with Hormel for better wages, benefits, and workplace policies. It’s time we make the same progress here at Dold Foods and secure the protections and representation that our coworkers already have!
“What have other Hormel workers won with their union?“
With their union, our coworkers at Hormel have won significant wage increases and benefits that make their life better! For example, unionized Hormel workers recently negotiated $4.75/hour wage increases over the last three years of their contract. They also won up to six weeks of vacation, and improvements to their bereavement leave, pension, healthcare, and 401K plans.
Our coworkers at Hormel made this possible because they took initiative and used their collective voice to fight for what they deserved. We’re inspired by them, and it’s time we follow in their example and start a new chapter here at Dold Foods!
“How would having a union change the way discipline is handled at our facility?“
With a union, we can work to ensure we’re treated fairly 100% of the time. Having a union at our facility can help us protect ourselves if Dold doesn’t stick to its word or its discipline policies, because we can work with our union representatives to hold them accountable under federal labor law.
For example, when something happens, the union can investigate the issue (also known as a grievance) and work to ensure it is resolved fairly.
“Would starting a union change the policies we already like here at Dold Foods?“
The simple answer is – no! When we start a union, we get to sit down with Dold and negotiate a contract that includes all the policies and protections we need to do our best work. This means, if there’s something that we already like about our jobs or our facility, we can incorporate it into our contract and secure it in writing.
Meanwhile, if there are things we don’t like about our jobs, we can negotiate changes to those policies and implement better versions in writing. We can overhaul what we need to, and hang on to everything that’s already working!
“How can I get involved with the Dold Union?“
The best way for you to get involved with our union at Dold is to fill out the form below and set up a conversation with a UFCW union organizer, or ask a coworker how to get involved! They can answer your questions, talk about what it means to have a union on the job, and ask you about what you want to see changed at our facility.
