Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
Not much has changed in the past year for 360 workers from Grain Processing Corporation in Muscatine.
On Aug. 22, 2008, the company and United Food and Commercial Workers Local 86D could not negotiate a new five-year contract. The workers were locked out, and continue to picket at various locations within the community.
Although both sides have returned to the negotiating table at various points throughout the preceding year — the last time being in early June — no contract acceptable to both sides has emerged. The workers have twice been asked to vote on potential contracts, but have rejected both.
GPC, which is headquartered in Muscatine, has a production plant in Washington, Indiana and a laboratory in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, manufactures corn-based products primarily for industrial use. The company issued the following statement in connection with the ongoing strike and one-year anniversary:
The company’s contract proposal offers an extremely competitive wage and benefits package. As with all successful companies, and especially today in the current economic crisis, sound business decisions are critical for long-term company success. Long-term company success comes from satisfied customers and results in job security for employees. That is why GPC has said from the beginning and remains firm on the goal of negotiating a contract that is fair for customers, for the company and for employees. GPC will continue to operate the plant and serve customers with the current workforce until a contract is ratified.
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