(Reuters) – About 1,400 Kellogg Co cereal plant employees went on a strike on Tuesday, hoping to get the packaged foods maker to negotiate what a labor union called a “fair contract” for the workers.
The Froot Loops and Corn Flakes cereal maker has been negotiating with union workers for a while regarding pay and benefits.
The company has demanded that workers give up quality health care, retirement benefits, and holiday and vacation pay, Anthony Shelton, president of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, said in a statement.
Shelton said Kellogg has threatened to send additional jobs to Mexico if workers do not accept its proposals.
Members of the union went on strikes at plants in Battle Creek, Michigan, Omaha, Nebraska, Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Memphis, Tennessee.
Kellogg, however, said it provides compensation and benefits for its U.S. ready-to-eat-cereal employees that are among the industry’s best.
“We are disappointed by the union’s decision to strike … our offer includes increases to pay and benefits for our employees,” Kellogg spokesperson Kris Bahner said.
Kellogg said it remains willing to continue negotiations to reach an agreement and that it was implementing contingency plans to deal with supply disruptions, including internal and third-party resources.
(Reporting by Praveen Paramasivam in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
