Twenty-five years ago this month, P-9 union workers at Hormel voted — by an overwhelming 1,261 to 96 margin — to reject the company’s latest contract offer and go on strike.
What resulted was a bitter, drawn-out labor dispute that drastically impacted the community, from workers who lost jobs to families that were torn apart by picket lines.

Today, those impacts can still be seen by looking at the radical changes to Hormel’s workforce — and to the city of Austin at-large.

This is an attempt to reflect on that history, to share stories that, while sometimes painful, are a vital reminder of where this community came from. Such reminders often teach good lessons about where a community can go in the future.

We in the paper’s newsroom hope that you take something away from the stories, whether that be a new piece of information, a few tears shed or a new way of looking at old wounds. Of course, discussion is encouraged and desired, and the Herald welcomes any thoughts you may have.