OCCIDENTAL UNIT <OXY> LIFTS LOCKOUT
Iowa Beef Processors Inc is lifting a
lockout at its Dakota City, Nebraska processing plant and plans
to resume operations March 16, United Food and Commercial
Workers Union spokesman Allen Zack said by phone from his
Washington, D.C. headquarters.
    Iowa Beef, a susbsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corp,
mailed a letter to members of UFCWU Local 222 informing them a
lockout imposed by the company on December 14 would be lifted
and meatpackers could return to work under Iowa Beef's
"revised, last and best final offer," according to Zack.
    The letter was signed by four managers at the Dakota City
plant.
    Iowa Beef closed the proessing plant indefinitely in
mid-December because, it said, it had no alternative to threats
by meatpackers to disrupt operations.
    About 2,800 members of Local 222 are affected by the
shutdown. A 3-1/2 year labor contract at the plant expired
December 13.
 Reuter
