Triumph Foods announced an agreement on Sept. 1 with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) District Union Local 2 in which the company will raise wages for its nearly 2,800-person workforce.
The starting base wage is now $20 per hour for all production new hires. This starting wage is higher than the average of other regional meat industry companies, Triumph Foods said in a release.
This also includes a $1 per hour differential for employees working second and third shifts. All current production employees will also receive a minimum $2.75 per hour wage increase.
“Triumph Foods employees are hard-working members of our community who have seen a lot of challenges over the last two years,” Triumph Foods Chief Operating Officer Matt England said in a release. “This wage increase is a way to show our appreciation for some of the most resilient people in our industry. It’s also a big investment in the future of our employees and their ability to have a long-term career with us.”
Triumph Foods said this wage announcement is the positive result of working with the Union on behalf of its members.
“Our union is thrilled that Triumph Foods has agreed to implement this significant wage increase. This rate is almost 15% higher than current starting wages, which is an incredible investment in Triumph team members who work so hard to supply pork for consumers,” UFCW Local 2 President Martin Rosas said in a release.
Employees will also have access to new benefits, including a paid referral program and additional earned time off beginning in early 2022. The company said they have created a new utility position in which an employee who attains proper skills training can be placed where needed on a day-by-day basis. This position will have an added pay differential for anyone who holds it, the release said. For new employees, qualifying relocation assistance is also available.
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