On Aug. 30, Amalgamated Sugar Company and the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) International Union employees voted to approve a new five-year collective bargaining agreement covering approximately 1,400 employees.

Amalgamated Sugar and the union have been negotiating since the end of May for a new labor agreement. On Aug. 23, 2023, the company and the union agreed to unanimously recommend an offer to union members for approval. On Aug. 30, employees at Amalgamated Sugar’s four facilities voted to approve the new collective bargaining agreement.

Fran Malecha, president and CEO of Amalgamated Sugar, comments, “Amalgamated Sugar is pleased with the outcome of negotiations. The new collective bargaining agreement will allow Amalgamated Sugar to remain competitive in the market to attract and retain our valued employees. The new agreement provides employees with significant wage increases, maintains zero-premium health insurance coverage for employees for the next five years and introduces new benefits. It provides certainty and security to all our employees, grower-owners and the communities we operate in.”

—­Amalgamated Sugar press release