OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On Friday, the union representing Kellogg’s workers met with Omaha members who have been on strike for five weeks now.
Since the strike started, the gates around Kellogg’s have been manned 24 hours a day.
On Friday, retirees and spouses of workers filled in while the workers were updated on ongoing negotiations.
"We're family enough as retirees to come out,” said one of them. “Most of us retirees would come out and have brought food and a variety of other things."
The union and the company still have not come to an agreement.
The Kellogg Company is now asking the union members to take a vote on the proposal.
On Wednesday, the Kellogg Company offered what it’s calling, its last, best and final offer to union members who have been on strike for a month now.
It got rid of the permanent two-tiered system, but transitional employees would still have to work their way up to legacy wages.
Dan Osborn, President of the local BCTGM union, said he appreciates that the company has nudged somewhat, but the workers want to see a faster path to the legacy level.
“Our compromise would be a four-year progression for the lower-tier employee to move into the upper tier," Osborn said. "That still saves the company money.”
The company says it also offered cost of living wages to those long-time workers and enhanced benefits for all employees.
Now they’re asking the union to let its members take a vote on the offer.
“The union continues to insist on proposals that are unsustainable and unrealistic," company chair and CEO Steve Cahillane said in a press release.
On Friday, union members in Omaha discussed where they want to go next.
“If they come back for a contract, where we feel like there are no takeaways from us, then definitely at that point a contract will be back for a vote," Osborn said.
The Omaha union says they are hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst as winter nears. They are working with the buildings and trades unions to prepare their picket line for the cold.
"They've offered various ways to heat those tents so our picketer can go warm up and come back out and things like that," Osborn said. "Winter in Omaha can be brutal."
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