BATTLE CREEK, MI -- Sen. Bernie Sanders joined Kellogg’s union employees on the picket line on Friday, Dec. 17 as the strike hit its 10th week.
In Battle Creek, where the company is headquartered, 325 hourly workers are standing with the union’s decision to not return until their demands are met. Across the country, 1,400 Kellogg workers from plants in Michigan, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Nebraska are striking.
“You’re sending a message not just to Kellogg’s, but to every corporate CEO in this country,” Sanders told the crowd. “You’re saying that in the wealthiest country in the history of the world, you’ve got to give workers a fair shake.”
Representing Battle Creek’s Local 3G teamster Donivan Williams and union president Trevor Bidelman encouraged striking workers to hold the line and reminded them that negotiations were for future generations and not just the immediate contract cycle.
A crowd of about 500 gathered in front of the world headquarters of the cereal company to hear Sanders speak. He praised the striking workers for continuing to go to work throughout the pandemic and said he was surprised to hear how many days in a row workers were punching in and how frequent forced overtime was at the plant.
“When people make that kind of sacrifice, when their families make that kind of sacrifice, you don’t treat those workers with disrespect and contempt,” Sanders said. “What you say to those workers and their families is ‘thank you for helping to save America during the pandemic.’”
Kellogg workers walked out at midnight on Oct. 5 once their contract expired. The heart of the negotiation is the company’s two-tier system the union says keeps “transitional” workers at a lower pay and benefit level for longer than agreed upon.
The cereal company has put forth six offers although only one was voted on by The Bakery Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM). The union voted against the contract the first week of December. Bidelman called the offer “a trojan horse” because of its long-term implications.
The two-tier system remains the tension point as the company will not agree to a definitive cap on how many years before it will move transitional workers into “legacy” status. Without a defined cap the union fears transitional workers will outnumber the legacy thus undermining future negotiations. Bidelman estimates 700 of the 1,400 workers are on track to retire within the next ten years.
Kellogg spokesperson Kris Bahner said the company has “made every effort to reach a fair agreement” but the union had “unrealistic expectations” throughout the negotiation process.
Related: Union calls Kellogg’s latest offer ‘a trojan horse.’ The cereal company will replace strikers.
The four plants have continued production throughout the strike. After the latest offer was denied Kellogg announced it would be looking for permanent replacements for the workers.
President Joe Biden voiced his support for the union in Dec. 10 remarks, saying he was “deeply troubled” by Kellogg’s announcement to replace workers. The move “undermines the critical role collective bargaining plays in providing workers a voice and the opportunity to improve their lives while contributing fully to their employer’s success,” he said.
The National Labor Relations Act states strikers can be replaced if the object of a strike is economic, such as over higher wages, shorter hours or better working conditions.
“Permanently replacing striking workers is an existential attack on the union and its members’ jobs and livelihoods,” Biden said. “I have long opposed permanent striker replacements and I strongly support legislation that would ban that practice.”
However, employees striking on the basis of unfair labor practices are entitled to have their jobs back when the strike ends even if employees hired to do their work have to be discharged. Local unions representing the four Kellogg plants have filed unfair labor practice charges against the company.
A NLRA ruling of unfair labor practices would give strikers comfort and confidence to move forward knowing their job is still secure, Kellogg warehouse crew leader Heather Greene said.
In response to Kellogg’s permanent replacement announcement, users on Reddit shared the links to Kellogg job postings and included local zip and area codes for the fake applicants to “clog [Kellogg’s] toilet of an application pipeline.”
Screenshots of the Kellogg’s application website crashing were uploaded on Twitter after the Reddit thread gained traction. TikTok creator Sean Black coded a system to automate the application process. He spread the information to his 82,000 followers.
Greene said she found herself getting sucked into the Reddit rabbit hole as the responses kept coming in. The thread instructing users on how to submit fake resumes and cover letters has more than 65,000 interactions.
The strike has gained attention from political figures like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vice President Kamala Harris as well as celebrities like Susan Sarandon and Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.
Greene put together a live stream with Morello for a special performance of “Hold the Line” where he auctioned off his guitar to donate to local unions.
“Have you ever read or learned about a historical moment and wondered what it was like to be there?” Greene said. “It’s surreal.”
During the rally, Sanders thanked striking workers for their sacrifice and called out the recent unionization of a Starbucks in Buffalo, New York — the first in company history.
“Thank you all very much,” Sanders said. “Not only for your willingness to stand up for justice, but for inspiring people all across this country.”
Major companies like John Deere, Nabisco, Frito Lays have had workers walk out this year. In total, 348 strikes have been recorded this year, according to the Labor Action Tracker run by Cornell University.
Greene compares the current wave of union action to the 1970s labor movement. She says this moment in time feels like a baton hand off in the relay.
“Let’s anchor that for the labor movement,” Greene said.
Another tentative agreement was put forth this week. Union members are expected to vote on Sunday and have votes tallied on Monday.
More on MLive:
‘We’re not budging:’ Kellogg strike hits two-week mark as worker shortage aggravates labor conflicts
‘Tony the tightwad’: Kellogg strikers rally outside Battle Creek headquarters