MEATPACKERS REJECT OCCIDENTAL &lt;OXY> UNIT OFFER

  United Food and Commercial Workers Union
  Local 222 rejected a new contract proposal from Iowa Beef
  Processors Inc and remain out of work, union spokesman Allen
  Zack said.
      In mid-December, Iowa Beef, a subsidiary of Occidental
  Petroleum Corp, closed its beef processing plant at Dakota
  City, Nebraska, because it said "it had no alternative to
  threats by meatpackers to disrupt operations."
      About 2,800 UFCWU members are affected by what the union
  terms as a lockout.  A 3-1/2 year labor contract at the plant
  expired December 13.
      Zack said IBP's proposal included elimination of a two-tier
  wage structure, a 60 cent an hour wage cut for slaughterers and
  a 45 cent an hour wage reduction for processors.
      The new proposal also included a bonus system of 1,000 dlrs
  for workers who had been at the plant for two years, Zack said.
  The annual turnover rate at the facility is 100 pct, he said.
  

