Dairy Workers Push Back Against Cuts to Health Care, Pensions, and Other Protections

SPARTA, Wis., Dec. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 150 Teamsters at an Actus Nutrition facility and two Foremost Farms plants have overwhelmingly voted to authorize strikes. The workers, represented by Teamsters Local 120, are employed at three locations critical to dairy production and processing in western Wisconsin. Actus currently operates a protein facility in Sparta after purchasing it from Foremost Farms, while Foremost continues to run two cheese processing plants in Richland Center and Lancaster.

Just 30 days before selling the Sparta plant to Actus, Foremost finalized a contract with the Teamsters. After acquiring the facility, Actus refused to honor key benefits and worker protections in that agreement. Workers at that site rejected Actus's "last, best, and final offer" and filed a 10-day strike notice over health care, pensions, picket-line protections, and maintenance-of-standards language.

"Our members negotiated in good faith and secured a strong agreement. Then Foremost sold the facility, and Actus tried to gut the strong contract that these workers earned," said Tom Erickson, President of Local 120 and Director of the Teamsters Warehouse Division. "If these companies think they can shuffle ownership around to strip workers of their rights and protections, they are in for a rude awakening. Our members held up their end of the deal, and they are ready to hit the streets to get what's rightfully theirs."

While Actus is moving to slash worker benefits and protections, Foremost Farms is pushing for similar reductions at their Richland Center and Lancaster plants. Workers at these locations are concerned Foremost may sell these facilities in the future. Strike notices at both plants have also been filed.

"Foremost agreed to a fair deal, then sold us off, and now Actus is trying to take back what we've earned," said Cory Holliday, an Actus Nutrition worker and Local 120 member. "These jobs at the Foremost and Actus plants are our livelihoods and the engine of our local economy — we're not backing down."

Teamsters Local 120 proudly represents over 15,000 workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, and South Dakota. For more information, go to local120.org.

Contact:
Lena Melentijevic, (347) 208-2279
LMelentijevic@teamster.org

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SOURCE Teamsters Local 120