06 Feb Leading Members of the United States Congress Urge Kellogg to End Lockout
The continued inaction by the Kellogg Company on the lockout of more than 220 workers at its Memphis, Tenn. cereal plant has drawn the attention of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC).ย The Congressional Progressive Caucus consists of 75 members of the U.S. House of Representatives from around the country, and is the largest caucus within the House Democratic Caucus.In a letter on behalf of the CPCย to Kellogg Company CEO John Bryant, the Co-Chairs of the CPCโU.S. Representatives Raรบl M. Grijalva (D- Arizona) and Keith Ellison (D-Minn.) โquestioned the companyโs plan to create a new โworkforce of the futureโย and urged the company to โreconsider its approachโ and resolve the dispute.
The letter is critical of Kelloggโs plan to introduce a part-time, casual workforce in which workers at the Memphis facility eventually earn at least $12,500 less per year (not including overtime) and receive far fewer benefits and than current workers, which โwill adversely impact the communityโs middle class.โ
โMoving to a lower-wage workforce at Kelloggโs Memphis facility will cost the local economy millions of dollars in revenue and undermine the communityโs tax base. The result will be fewer resources for public education and the delivery of important social services,โ wrote the CPC leaders.
The letter adds that Congressional offices have received communications from constituents who are concerned about the companyโs tactics in Memphis and, โtheir desire to ensure this model does not take root or spread to their communities.โ
โWe respectively urge Kellogg to reconsider its approach to resolving this dispute and reach a mutually agreeable solution. The current approach will not result in a positive ongoing relationship between the parties. We believe there are more amicable ways to reconcile the difference between the parties than denying dedicated workers access to their work site. Kellogg has provided good, stable, middle class jobs for decades. It can and should continue to do so,โ concludes Ellison and Grijalva.
Click here (or on the image below) to read the entire letter from the CPC
Click here for the list of Caucus members
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