Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) Workers Win a Seat at the Negotiating Table

Read "Group of Marshall ADM workers votes to unionize" by the Marshall Independent here >>

Marshall, MN - Twenty-one employees of Archer Daniel Midland (ADM) in Marshall, MN voted for the right to collectively bargain late last week. Now a part of North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters (NCSRCC), these employees will have a seat at the table with ADM to negotiate their wages, benefits, workplace safety and more.

The process to unionize began in October when ADM employees, Andrew Mercie and Austin Rykhus, reached out to Millwrights Local 548 Business Representatives Luke Meier and Marcus Raines with the desire to have more say in the workplace. Within a week, a meeting was held to discuss the process, a petition form was presented, and the workers had enough signatures to launch the two-month campaign to become union members and form an organizing committee.

“The potential to have these employees organize for a better future was exciting,” recalled Meier. “I am grateful for the work put in by these workers and their willingness to stand up for one another. I am proud of what they have been able to achieve and look forward to supporting them through their future negotiations with ADM.”

Over the course of the campaign, several organizing committee meetings were held and the vote to unionize was scheduled for November 30, 2023. NCSRCC staff, trade partners and ADM employees gathered the night before and the day of the election to show support and solidarity. With a vote of 13 to 8, twenty-one maintenance mechanics and reliability technicians became members of the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters. With the right to collectively bargain, these new union members and NCSRCC representatives are working with ADM to schedule contract negotiations.

“A lot of work and conversation went into this win,” said Rykhus, a 5-year ADM employee. “This is a huge success for myself and my coworkers. I look forward to having my voice heard and having a seat at the table.”