Bernie Sanders headed to Michigan to rally with striking Kellogg's workers

• Union workers at Kellogg's in four states have been on strike since October 5, 2021.
• They complain that Kellogg's wants to cut pay and benefits for new hires.

US Senator Bernie Sanders announced Tuesday that he's headed to Michigan later this week to attend a rally with striking workers outside a Kellogg's plant in the city of Battle Creek.

Around 1,400 Kellogg's workers in four states have been on strike since October when their last contract expired. They argue that the maker of Frosted Flakes and other breakfast cereals is seeking to undercut their union by creating a "two-tier" system of employment, with new hires offered less pay and fewer benefits.

Members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers, and Grain Millers International Union earlier this month voted to reject Kellogg's offer of a 3% raise. That prompted the company to claim it was left with no choice but to permanently replace striking workers with new hires — a plan that "deeply troubled" President Joe Biden, who urged Kellogg's to return to the negotiating table.

In a statement, Sanders' office said the senator, an independent from Vermont who caucuses with Democrats, would be joining some of Kellogg's striking employees on Friday. The statement described Kellogg's as "the new poster child of corporate greed."

In November, the company reported an operating profit of more than $1.4 billion over the last year, an increase of 3.4%.

Kellogg's spokesperson Kris Bahner told Insider the company agrees that this needs to be solved at the bargaining table," saying its objective "has been – and continues to be – to reach a fair agreement for our people.

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