American Crystal Sugar leaders fail to make progress on contract talks

American Crystal Sugar leaders and union representatives aren’t making progress on contract talks in a dispute that has locked out workers and dragged on for 10 months.

Friday marked the fourth time the two sides have met with a federal mediator in an attempt to end the impasse. About 1,300 union workers are locked out at plants in North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

The company says in a statement that the union’s proposals are not consistent with Crystal’s final offer and the “parties remain far apart.”

A union spokesman says he is disappointed but not surprised at the outcome.

Unemployment payments for most of the workers who were locked out at the company’s plants in Minnesota will end in the next month. North Dakota workers were not eligible for unemployment.