- considerable wage increases, including $1.40/hr base wage increase over four years for production workers and $1.80/hr base wage increase for maintenance workers. The increases bring the average wage for production workers to $15.75 an hour - the top of the industry.

  - significant improvements in preventive health care, well baby and well child care, hospice care, home health care, vision care, mental health and substance abuse care, and cancer screening as well as big improvements in dental care. These improvements were achieved with no increase in deductible, and only a minimal increase in co-premiums.

  - improved retirement security including increased "pension multipliers" which will mean a greater than 10 % increase in pension checks.

Workers and the company agreed to the essentially the same terms and conditions as the groundbreaking chain agreement ratified at the end of last year. That agreement covered more than 4000 workers in five locations which set a new standard for wages and benefits in the meat industry.