Draft:Mark Lauritsen

Lauritsen is a third-generation meatpacking worker. Both of his parents were employed at Spencer Foods in Iowa and served as local union presidents. Lauritsen later worked in the meatpacking industry himself, beginning his career at the Wilson Foods meatpacking plant in Cherokee, Iowa.^[4]

Lauritsen became involved in union activity as a shop steward at the Wilson Foods plant. He later advanced within the UFCW, eventually becoming International Vice President and Director of the Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division. In this role, he is responsible for oversight of union representation for approximately 260,000 workers employed in meatpacking and food processing industries in the United States. His responsibilities have included participation in organizing campaigns, collective bargaining negotiations at both national and facility levels, and engagement with policymakers and community organizations on labor-related issues affecting the food supply chain.^[5]

Lauritsen has publicly raised concerns regarding increased processing line speeds in meatpacking facilities, citing worker injury rates and workplace safety considerations in public statements and testimony.^[6]

In 2025, he nearly won the UFCW international presidency, after being nominated by members of the union's international executive board.^[7]

In 2017, Lauritsen was elected President of the International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF), a global federation representing unions in food, agriculture, and hospitality sectors. As president, he has participated in efforts to coordinate activities among affiliated unions and address labor standards in multinational food and agricultural companies.^[8]

Lauritsen was appointed to the United States Trade Representative’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee (APAC) during the Obama administration. In this role, he has provided labor-related input on agricultural trade policy and international trade negotiations affecting food and agricultural workers.^[9]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lauritsen participated in advocacy efforts related to workplace health and safety in meatpacking and poultry processing facilities. As a UFCW official, he joined other labor and industry representatives in communications with U.S. state governments regarding vaccination prioritization for meat and poultry workers, citing infection rates and the essential status of the workforce.^[10][11]

Lauritsen has been involved in collective bargaining negotiations covering meatpacking and food processing workers. These negotiations have included a national labor agreement between UFCW and JBS USA covering approximately 26,000 workers across multiple facilities. The agreement included provisions related to wages, paid sick leave, retirement benefits, and workplace safety measures.^{[12] [13][14][15]}Notably, this national agreement also marks the rare instance in the food instustry wherein a defined benefit pension plan has been re-established, earning Lauritsen the Crystal Globe Award by Corpath Pension Defenders in 2025.^[16]

In public statements and interviews, Lauritsen has discussed labor issues including workplace safety, job security, and long-term employment conditions in food processing industries. He has also raised concerns about the impact of H-2B visa program in meatpacking sector in terms of migrant worker treatment and working conditions.^{[17][18][19][20][21]}. He has also been an outspoken critic of Trump Administration policies, particularly with regard to their impacts on food worker communities. ^{[22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]}