A labor dispute at one of California’s most historic industrial facilities has led to the first major strike against C&H Sugar in decades, as unionized warehouse workers walk off the job over disagreements surrounding pay, benefits and workplace protections.
The strike involves members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) Warehouse Local 6 at C&H Sugar’s refinery in Crockett, California. The walkout began in mid-June and reportedly involves between 90 and 100 employees working at the company’s large Bay Area operation.
At the center of the dispute are negotiations for a new three-year labor agreement covering wages, healthcare coverage, retiree benefits, sick leave, overtime policies and union protections.
While American Sugar Refining, the parent company of C&H Sugar, says it has offered workers a 20% wage increase, union representatives argue that the company’s overall proposals remain unacceptable. The union has not publicly disclosed its specific salary demands, emphasizing instead that the primary concerns involve employee rights and long-standing benefits.
According to local reports, workers claim the company proposed reducing annual sick leave from ten days to five, eliminating retiree medical benefits and modifying overtime rules so that premium pay would only begin after employees exceed 40 working hours per week.
Union members say wage talks are on the table, but they are not willing to negotiate what they see as basic protections and benefits in the workplace.
The strike has been of particular interest due to the historical significance of the Crockett refinery. The facility has long been a landmark of California’s industrial landscape and played a notable role during the famous “Sugar Wars” labor conflicts of the 1930s.
Today, the refinery remains a major logistics and manufacturing hub. It receives rail service from Union Pacific and generates approximately 25,000 truckloads of sugar shipments every year, making it an important link in regional and national supply chains.
The current labor action represents the first strike by warehouse employees at C&H Sugar in decades. The last comparable disruption occurred in 2003, when workers participated in a walkout in solidarity with other sugar industry employees rather than as part of a dispute involving their own contract negotiations.
The strike is continuing, with some workers reportedly worried about the use of replacement labour. According to accounts from participants, there are also allegations that the company has attempted to encourage employees to cross the picket line and return to work despite the ongoing dispute.
Neither side has indicated when an agreement might be reached, leaving uncertainty over how long the strike could continue and what impact it may have on operations at one of California’s most recognized sugar production facilities.
Negotiations are still ongoing with both management and union representatives holding firm to their respective positions while workers continue their picket action outside the Crockett refinery.
