Cargill Say Operations Are Back to Normal, Some Employees Have Reported Quiting

SCHUYLER - Cargill officials say operations are back to normal at their Schuyler plant, with some employees saying they have quit their positions. Cargill Director of Communications Mike Martin, told NCN in a phone call Wednesday morning, that operations at the plant are moving forward as normal on Wednesday, following Tuesday's strike. Martin says the pay differential, which caused the dispute, was a $2.00 raise for 3rd shift workers, and a $1.50 raise for 2nd shift workers. The 2nd and 3rd shift have previously received raises, and Martin says the recent raise was being offered as a 6 month trial in an effort to incentivize more people to apply for the open 2nd and 3rd shift positions. Martin says the raise in pay was agreed upon with the United Food and Commercial Workers union that exists at the Cargill plant. Martin says they are currently trying to fill hundreds of open positions across their Nebraska based plants. 1st shift workers from Cargill went on strike on Tuesday because of the pay raise being offered to the other two shifts, and not the 1st shift. A Cargill employee called NCN Wednesday morning and said roughly 20 people had quite their jobs as a result of the strike, but a specific number of employees who left their jobs or were let go has not be confirmed. The employees who were on strike stated on Tuesday that they were unhappy with how the union handled the situation. Martin said employees can apply for the 2nd and 3rd shift positions if they meet the job qualifications.