Kellogg's permanently replacing most of 1,400 workers who were striking as contract is rejected

Bad news for those workers who were protesting against a US-based multinational food manufacturing company Kellogg's as it announced that it is permanently replacing most of 1,400 workers who went on strike over a new system that cuts workers' pay and benefits. 

A statement by Kellogg's read: "We are disappointed that the tentative agreement for a master contract over our four U.S. cereal plants was not ratified by employees."

"The prolonged work stoppage has left us no choice but to hire permanent replacement employees in positions vacated by striking workers. These are great jobs and posting for permanent positions helps us find qualified people to fill them," the statement added. 

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As per reports, the workers have been on strike for over two months. They are raising their voices against unpaid overtime, extended shifts etc. Trevor Bidelman, who is the president of BCTGM Local3G told The Guardian. 

Bidelman said, "This is after just one year ago, we were hailed as heroes, as we worked through the pandemic, seven days a week, 16 hours a day. Now apparently, we are no longer heroes." 

Reports have also claimed that the temporary replacements were already been working at the company's cereal plants in Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. 

Ken Hurley, the head of labour relations at Kellogg's, said in a video the company posted on its official website that Kellogg's has tried to address the unio's main concerns about its two-tiered pay system, wages and benefits in its offer. 

"We don't have weekends, really. We just work seven days a week, sometimes 100 to 130 days in a row. For 28 days, the machines run, then rest three days for cleaning. They don’t even treat us as well as they do their machinery." Hurley added.