Workers represented by United Food & Commercial Workers Local 789 will have their first union contract if they ratify a tentative agreement reached with management at Minnesota Beef Industries, the union announced.

The workers at the plant will review and possibly ratify the agreement after their work shifts are completed Tuesday, Nov. 22, Local 789 said.

The tentative agreement includes wage improvements, seniority language, grievance procedures, and job classifications. The contract will cover approximately 125 workers. The facility is a beef slaughter operation and recently expanded its operations.

The union drive was direct result of organizing efforts in Willmar, Buffalo Lake, and other central Minnesota cities that have processing plants.

Workers at the Jennie-O plant in Willmar have been involved in some organizing work the last several years and are now in engaged in a class action suit against their company for failure to wages on donning and doffing time. The success at Buffalo Lake was a result of workers talking to other workers and encouraging them to organize, the union said.

UFCW Local 789 represents more than 7,500 workers in Minnesota in meatpacking, retail, health care and other industries.

For more information
Visit the Local 789 website, www.ufcw789.org