Hormel, Striking Local Plan to Start Talks Again

Geo. A. Hormel & Co. and the striking union at its home plant are planning to resume negotiations to end a 12-week strike.

The session has been tentatively set for Friday.

The last negotiations were broken off after just a few hours on Oct. 14.

About 1,500 meatpackers, represented by Local P-9 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, have been off the job since Aug. 17 in a dispute over a 23% wage cut that the company imposed more than a year ago.

Local P-9 last week won a new pledge of support from its parent union after local officers promised to demonstrate flexibility in negotiations, UFCW spokesman Allen Zack said.

UFCW leaders had criticized Local P-9 President Jim Guyette for rejecting a contract offer that was accepted by union workers at other Hormel plants.