Workers at Ardent Mills, a Chattanooga food company formerly known as Horizon Milling, have chosen to join the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1995.
In an election held Thursday, October 13, 2016, and supervised by the National Labor Relations Board, the workers voted for union representation.
Ardent Mills workers produce flour for breading for fried foods, cakes and pies eaten in restaurants across the country.
Union officials said, "Workers at Ardent Mills have suffered through cut-backs and reductions in benefits due to a corporate acquisition three years ago with no way to have a voice in the direction of their company. Now, workers at Ardent Mills will have the opportunity to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement that will help them address issues at work, raise wages and benefits, and get the respect they deserve. When it’s ratified, they’ll join more than 8,000 workers across Middle and East Tennessee, Northern Alabama and Southern Kentucky that are part of UFCW Local 1995.
"Local 1995 is the voice for retail food, food processing and manufacturing workers in the region, representing workers at major employers like Kroger, Tyson, Rich Products, Wayne Farms, Koch Farms and Keystone Foods. The UFCW is also the nation’s voice for food processing and manufacturing workers, with more than 250,000 members across America, including two other Ardent Mills plants."
UFCW Local 1995 Organizing Director Chris Branum led the campaign and was assisted by UFCW International Region 5 Representatives Nancy Wallace and Dennis Albritton.