All four BCTGM Local’s rejected Amalgamated’s latest offer on Friday

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Fear of a union strike is rising again for Amalgamated Sugar Company as union representatives voted down the most recent contract revision.

Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Union Local 282-G, as well as 283-G, 284-G and 290-G members at all four of Amalgamated facilities in Paul, Twin Falls, Nampa and Nyssa, Oregon rejected the proposal late Friday evening after a member vote.

According to a post on the local union’s social media page late Saturday, company and union representatives have planned to resume talks on Tuesday, August 22nd.

We reached out to the union via social media for comment on the issue and this is what the site administrator had to say, “The issues are raising our deductible on our insurance, raising the max out of pocket on our insurance, a better company match to our 401k for retirement. Moving workers from their bid job position to fill in from being understaffed, and a better cost of living wage.”

We reached out to Amalgamated Sugar Company for comment early Sunday afternoon, and site administration said “A meeting has been scheduled for Union and Company officials to meet on Tuesday, the 22nd of August. No other comment.”

Currently, the company is getting ready for the sugar campaign, and union members feel that Amalgamated leadership isn’t taking union representation seriously about meeting in the middle for acceptable wages and benefits for its members.

If union members do strike, not only will it affect over 1700 employees across all Amalgamated’s factories, but also affect sugarbeet growers in Southern Idaho who are now gearing up for harvest.

According to the company website, Amalgamated is sugarbeet grower-owned and led, and currently is run by a 25 member Board of Directors, who are elected from their nine districts located in Idaho, Oregon and Washington. The company boasts that the sugarbeet industry contributes 1.7% of Idaho’s Gross State Product and is the second largest beet sugar producer in the United States and produces 12% of the nation’s sugar supply.

We will continue to keep track of this ever changing situation and bring you up to date information as soon as it become available.

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