UFW has no plans for now for picketing or strike at Foster Farms

The United Farm Workers has no immediate plans for picketing or a strike at the Foster Farms chicken plant, a leader said Thursday.

The union is negotiating a new contract for about 2,400 employees at the plant, next to the company’s Livingston headquarters. The Modesto Bee reported earlier that Foster Farms installed fencing to provide safety during possible picketing, but the UFW could not be reached for comment then.

Armando Elenes, third vice president, emailed Thursday that those actions are not planned “at this time.” He added that the contract issues include wages, health care, working conditions and the right to have a “union shop.”

Asked about the mood of the negotiations, Elenes said “tense but making progress. It’s slow but we are hopeful that a fair contract can be done.”

The negotiations do not involve other Foster Farms plants, including the turkey processing in Turlock or chicken plants in Fresno, Porterville or other locations in the West and South.

The current contract for the Livingston plant will expire in October. It is with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; the employees switched to the UFW for the new agreement.

In 2005, less than half of the Livingston staff went on strike for three periods totaling eight days. Tensions arose outside the plant over the use of replacement workers, but Foster Farms said production did not slow.

This story was originally published March 30, 2017 at 12:33 PM with the headline "UFW has no plans for now for picketing or strike at Foster Farms."