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Although the Crookston City Council stopped short of fully supporting a request to send out letters urging both sides to resolve the American Crystal Sugar labor dispute, council members and Mayor Dave Genereux did agree that he would draft and sign a simple, impartial letter to the union and company management.
A large group of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers union members employed by American Crystal attended the council's Monday night meeting to ask – like they're doing in other cities in which they have a strong presence – that the council send a letter to both company management and the union urging both sides to get back to the negotiating table and resolve their differences so the employees can get back to work. The council agreed to take the matter under advisement but made no decision at the time.
After discussing it during the Administrative Committee meeting that followed, however, the consensus was to have Genereux alone sign the letter, modeled after the one signed by East Grand Forks Council members. There was some concern about treading into territory that some might construe as biased.
“If you do that one little thing, are you putting your nose where shouldn't be?” Councilman Wayne Melbye queried. “As soon as you do that are you opening yourself up to more? I personally don't feel comfortable putting myself out there on this.”
“It's pretty innocuous,” said Keith Mykleseth. “All were doing is encouraging them both to do something, to talk, without taking sides whatsoever.”
Genereux added that, because the city values both the company and its workers, it is important to show sensitivity to both sides.
“We really need them to end this lockout so things can get back to somewhat normal,” he said.
Although the Crookston City Council stopped short of fully supporting a request to send out letters urging both sides to resolve the American Crystal Sugar labor dispute, council members and Mayor Dave Genereux did agree that he would draft and sign a simple, impartial letter to the union and company management.
A large group of Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco and Grain Millers union members employed by American Crystal attended the council's Monday night meeting to ask – like they're doing in other cities in which they have a strong presence – that the council send a letter to both company management and the union urging both sides to get back to the negotiating table and resolve their differences so the employees can get back to work. The council agreed to take the matter under advisement but made no decision at the time.
After discussing it during the Administrative Committee meeting that followed, however, the consensus was to have Genereux alone sign the letter, modeled after the one signed by East Grand Forks Council members. There was some concern about treading into territory that some might construe as biased.
“If you do that one little thing, are you putting your nose where shouldn't be?” Councilman Wayne Melbye queried. “As soon as you do that are you opening yourself up to more? I personally don't feel comfortable putting myself out there on this.”
“It's pretty innocuous,” said Keith Mykleseth. “All were doing is encouraging them both to do something, to talk, without taking sides whatsoever.”
Genereux added that, because the city values both the company and its workers, it is important to show sensitivity to both sides.
“We really need them to end this lockout so things can get back to somewhat normal,” he said.
