WASHINGTON – Two new union contracts—one covering 1,800 workers in Smithfield Foods’ Crete, Neb.-based pork plant, and the other covering 250 workers at Smithfield’s Armour/Eckrich plant in Mason City, Iowa— have been approved. The contracts were negotiated by members of United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 271 and 6.

According to a statement from the U.F.C.W., the new four-year contract at the Iowa plant increases wages by $1.40 over the term of the contract; maintains affordable health insurance and supplements health care benefits while improving pay for vacation time, sick time and retirement plans.

In Crete, the four-year contract increases wages by at least $1.50 over the four-year term; improves health care coverage and costs; secures retirement; and improves working conditions.

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