Ranchers organize vote on feedlot union issue
By JEFF BARNARD
Associated press
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 10:25 AM PDT
GRANTS PASS — Ranchers for Country Natural Beef posted election notices Tuesday to settle a long-simmering dispute over whether workers at the feedlots that handle their cattle want to join the United Farmworkers Union.
Stacy Davies, who manages the massive Roaring Springs Ranch in Frenchglen and is on the board of Country Natural Beef, says boycotts organized by the union have hurt them economically and calling in the governor and religious leaders to settle the dispute has not worked, so they are holding their own election.
The 85 workers at Beef Northwest Feeders feedlots in Nyssa, Boardman and Quincy, Wash., will vote next week, with results to be announced Nov. 10, Davies said.
Farm Workers National Vice President Erik Nicholson said they already have signed cards, verified by a third party, from a majority of workers indicating they want to join the union, and charged that intimidation of workers made any new election invalid.
‘‘Workers have clearly been instructed to vote against the union or lose your jobs,’’ Nicholson said. ‘‘That is not democracy.’’
Country Natural Beef is a marketing cooperative that represents more than 90 ranches and 45,000 head of cattle across the West.
The cooperative was a pioneer in the movement to raise beef following sustainable grazing practices, and is certified to be free of hormones and antibiotics.
Among its retail customers are Whole Foods and New Seasons groceries, Burgerville restaurants, and Bon Appetit, a college food service company.
The union says it has cards signed by a majority of workers showing they want to be represented by the union in contract talks, and the cards have been verified by a third party.
