More than 3,000 workers at Hormel plants in Iowa, Georgia, Nebraska, Wisconsin and Minnesota approved a new four-year contract in a vote last night. Workers, members of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union turned out to vote their approval for the agreement.\r\n\r\nThe new Hormel contract increases the base wage to $14/hour with raises over the term of the agreement. Workers also secured improvements for their pension, vacation and premium pay for night shifts while maintaining quality health care coverage for workers and their families.\r\n\r\nThe federal mediation office facilitated the negotiations and aided both parties to reach this agreement.\r\n\r\nThe new contract covers members of UFCW Local Unions 6, 9, 22, 1996 and 73A. The workers produce such well known products as SPAM luncheon meat and Dinty Moore beef stew.\r\n\r\n-30-\r\nUnited Food and Commercial Workers
