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Cargill initiates lockout at beef facility in Fort Morgan

Cargill has initiated an employee lockout at its Fort Morgan, Colorado beef facility.

The company says it made the difficult decision after months of bargaining because it cannot operate the facility safely and responsibly with the possibility of a work stoppage.

The union representing the facility’s 1,700 employees says the company has refused to offer members necessary improvements to wages, health care, and safety protections.

Cargill says its proposal was fair, competitive, and reflects its long-term commitment to the Fort Morgan employees.  The company says it remains committed to reaching an agreement through continued negotiations.

Cargill says the lockout will not impact its weekly harvest numbers because cattle that were scheduled for delivery to Fort Morgan have been redirected to other Cargill facilities so the company can continue to honor its commitments to producers and customers. 

The harvest capacity for the Fort Morgan facility is 4,700 head per day.