California: First ILWU strike against sugar giant in decades

Insight summary

• •The ILWU strike against C&H Sugar in Crockett, California, is the first strike there in decades, involving about 90–100 warehouse workers.
• •Workers demand improvements on healthcare, retiree benefits, sick leave, overtime, and union protections for a new three-year contract.
• •American Sugar Refining offered a 20% wage increase, but the union rejected company concessions including cuts to sick days and retiree medical benefits.
• •The strike began mid-June, disrupting operations at a major Bay Area sugar plant producing 25,000 truckloads per year.
• •The company reportedly attempted to use replacement labor and encourage crossing the picket line.
• •The last strike at the site was in 2003, unrelated to warehouse workers' own contract issues.
• •The plant is historically significant and receives rail service from Union Pacific.