Union members in Paynesville are on strike after not being able to come to terms on a new deal. Teamsters Local 471 at Associated Milk Producers Incorporated (AMPI) Dairy in Paynesville has gone on strike after almost a year of negotiations. The Union says AMPI has not taken the negotiations seriously or presented a fair plan. Members have worked for over a year without a raise and are looking for more flexibility and stability in health care coverage, and a guarantee that if the Paynesville facility is sold or ownership changes, they would be able to retain their jobs and union contract. Local 471 Principal Officer Lyndon Johnson says AMPI has had more than enough time to do right by their workers, but instead has dragged their feet, and members are united in demanding the wages, health care, and job protections they deserve. AMPI is a cooperative that processes and distributes cheese and other dairy products across the country. The Paynesville facility employs over 60 people, and they have facilities in New Ulm, South Dakotoa and Wisconsin.