Iowa Beef Processors Inc is lifting alockout at its Dakota City, Nebraska, processing plant and
plans to resume operations March 16, United Food and Commercial
Workers (UFCW) Union spokesman Allen Zack said.
    Iowa Beef mailed a letter to members of UFCW Local 222
informing them a lockout imposed by the company December 14
would be lifted and meatpackers could return to work under Iowa
Beef's "revised, last and best final offer," Zack said.
    Iowa Beef had closed the 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
