FORT MORGAN, Colo. — Meatpackers at the Cargill plant in Fort Morgan have been locked out of their jobs for 77 days — and a tentative agreement that offered a brief glimmer of hope last week was voted down this week.
The Teamsters Local 455 union represents the roughly 1,700 workers at the plant.
▶️ Cargill lockout in Fort Morgan reaches 77 days as workers reject agreement
"They're standing strong together," Chris Suazo, a representative with Teamsters Local 455, said. "We're doing everything we can to get all these members back to work."
The failed vote is sending Fort Morgan City Manager Brent Nation back to planning what he describes as devastating cuts. Cargill is the city's largest water and electricity customer, and with the plant offline, that revenue has dried up.
"When I got the news that the vote had gone with a 'no,' it was geez, here we go again," Nation said.
Denver7 asked Nation about the financial toll the lockout has taken on the city.
"We're now getting close to the multi-million-dollar loss of revenue to the city just in this year's budget," Nation said.
In a statement, a Cargill spokesperson said the company "remains open to considering proposals from the union that align with the economic framework previously discussed."
We are disappointed that employees voted against the union-recommended settlement. We are evaluating next steps and options and remain open to considering proposals from the union that align with the economic framework previously discussed.
The plant is now expected to either modify its last offer or return to the bargaining table — something both union and city officials say needs to happen soon.
"We're all just kind of sitting back, waiting to see what happens," Nation said.
