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The  United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents more than 250,000 meatpacking and food processing workers, announced agreements the union reached to increase pay and benefits for more than 3,600 Minnesota workers with Hormel in Austin, Cargill in Albert Lea and JBS in Worthington, according to a press release. The boost to pay and benefits represents a strong investment in these workers who are essential to protecting the U.S. food supply chain during the coronavirus outbreak. The increased pay and benefits will support more than 40,000 workers nationwide.

“After talks between America’s leading food companies and UFCW, the union representing more than 250,000 meatpacking and food processing workers, we are proud to support additional and critical pay and benefit increases for these workers who are essential to America’s food supply. These wage and benefit increases will not only protect the health and welfare of these hard-working men and women, they will help ensure all of America’s families have the food they need to overcome the public health crisis our nation faces,” UFCW International President Marc Perrone said in a statement.

“What these companies did shows real leadership. They worked together with our union family and they recognized the incredible hard work and sacrifices that our members and all meatpacking and food processing workers are making every single day.

“At a time of such national crisis, where food is so vital, we hope that this sends a message to every company in these industries – union and non-union – that it is time for every employer to do more to protect our food supply and the hardworking men and women keeping our communities stable and families fed.”