Overview
- Teamsters Local 455 members overwhelmingly ratified the five-year agreement on Monday, ending an 88-day company lockout that affected roughly 1,700–2,000 plant workers.
- Union and Cargill say they will coordinate a phased return to the Fort Morgan plant over roughly 30 days with employee safety, food safety and operational readiness guiding each step.
- The full contract text and detailed reboarding schedule have not been released, leaving implementation, enforcement and exact pay or work-rule changes as developing issues.
- The lockout began May 20 after contract talks stalled in February; Cargill said it acted to prevent sudden walkoffs that could harm safety and operations while the union had pushed for better pay, more hours and relief from extreme heat and limited breaks.
- Fort Morgan city officials had planned 2027 budgets assuming an extended closure and estimated about a $15 million hit to city revenue, a strain city leaders say should ease as the plant restarts.