Workers at American Crystal Sugar have been locked out for nine months, and little progress has been made. The company locked out 1,300 workers in August and has been using replacement workers to run the plant. The two sides last met in January, but the meetings did not lead to progress. While workers say that they still believe the offer is wrong, they say it is hard to survive without their jobs. Some workers have found new jobs, while others are on food stamps. Workers who live in North Dakota do not receive unemployment benefits, and rely on the union strike fund. American Crystal Sugar has said that their offer is fair.
See "Locked-out American Crystal workers alter plans", Dave Kolpack, Business Week, April 2, 2012