Redditors Spam Kellogg’s With Fake Job Applications After Company Tries To Replace Striking Workers With Scabs

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December 12, 2021, 10:09 am

Things are ramping up in the fight between Kellogg’s and its striking workers, and now the internet is getting properly involved.

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Around 1400 union workers have been on strike since early October, fighting for better working conditions and more pay. They recently rejected a proposal from the corporation that wouldn’t have properly benefitted those who haven’t worked for the company for more than four years.

The internet has been well aware of the strike, including Kellogg’s attempts to keep things running by expecting non-union employees to take on jobs they haven’t been fully trained to do, and trying to bring in strikebreakers.

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After the latest negotiation attempt was rejected for not being good enough, Kellogg’s went wide with their plan to seemingly replace all 1400 striking workers. 

Kellogg’s says it will permanently replace most of 1,400 workers who went on strike over a new system that cuts newer workers’ pay and benefits.

Workers reported 16-hour shifts and 80-hour weeks during the pandemic, and rejected a proposal giving only veteran workers a 3% raise. pic.twitter.com/Wuxz6ptgHy

— AJ+ (@ajplus) December 7, 2021

Job listings were posted to the Kellogg’s website, with the opportunity for folks to apply right there online — and that’s where they made the latest in a string of costly mistakes.

The news was shared in the antiwork subreddit, where folks soon devised a plan to spam applications at the company so that they would have a hard time sorting out real applicants willing to act as scabs and hurt union efforts.

Kellogg’s is saying they’ll replace all 1,400 union workers with scabs. But the good folks at r/antiwork are planning to spam the hell out of their applications. Be a shame if twitter did the same. pic.twitter.com/GINpl8I0F6

— Read Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire (@JoshuaPotash) December 9, 2021

Soon, what had previously just been a boycott of Kellogg’s products turned into a way for folks far from the picket line to help the union out and stick it to a corporation that’s putting profit over people.

Kellogg’s has announced it’s hiring scabs to permanently replace 1,400 striking workers.

Many people are submitting fake online applications to hamper this effort.

Here is a link to their online job portal.https://t.co/soOCdS2Iwh

— Devin Nunes’ Alt-Mom (@NunesAlt) December 11, 2021

Kellogg’s has fired their striking workers and are trying to hire scabs, so people are flooding them with realistic fake job applications. This is funny and morally good. https://t.co/pPyY8ngJ5j

— Rebecca Watson (@rebeccawatson) December 9, 2021

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I told earlier how Gen Zrs crashed Kellogg’s website by submitting bogus applications online when it sought job apps from strike breakers to replace union workers. UPDATE: one of them wrote a program which uses random data to submit bogus applications to Kellogg’s 24 hrs a day

— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) December 10, 2021

Some Gen Z hacker wrote a bot program that auto fills Kellogg’s job application system 24 hours a day so no scabs can apply for jobs.

The children are our future.

— Jesus Fucking Christ (@SHEsus__Christ) December 11, 2021

While Kellogg’s is clearly hoping they can find ways around both their lack of skilled workforce and the abhorrent PR they’re getting out of their own bad decisions, every move they make seems to be digging them deeper and deeper into a hole.

Here let me spell it out for the trolls that think Unions are bad , For 2020, Cahillane made over $11.6 million in total compensation as Kellogg’s CEO. About $1.3 million of that was his salary, while over $3.3 million was in bonuses, $1.8 million in stock options .

— ((Gaz)) (@Gazinsalford) December 10, 2021

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When Kellogg’s employees worked 7 days a week during the pandemic to feed America they were called “heroes.” Today, despite big profits, the company is trying to break their strike by bringing in permanent replacements and sending 275 jobs to Mexico. Let’s stand with the workers.

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) December 9, 2021

Kellogg’s wants to break their strike by hiring 1400 permanent workers, instead of negotiating with their striking workers in good faith. Don’t let them do it! Show your solidarity with the workers and boycott these brands. https://t.co/CDQlMF3q55 pic.twitter.com/r33SlJHczJ

— Cory Doctorow MOSTLY AFK (@doctorow) December 8, 2021

Workers who go on strike to fight for the wages and hours they deserve should never be permanently replaced. Period.

It’s unacceptable for Kellogg’s — or any company — to retaliate and threaten their livelihoods.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) December 11, 2021

Also worth note – that’s only one possibility.

Another: Will the $2 you save because it’s on special be worth it, if every serving gives you diarrhea 12-24 hours later due to poorly-mixed ingredients? (Let alone if it becomes a few thousand$ for a crown.)

From their website: pic.twitter.com/3URuQG0J6r

— Dustin D. Wind (@MackerelRuffian) December 10, 2021

So let me get this straight: Kellogg’s makes $1.26 billion in annual profits, but can’t afford to pay its workers a living wage and provide decent benefits?

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) December 11, 2021

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It’s unclear what Kellogg’s may try next, but it seems likely that meeting the workers’ demands isn’t going to be it. But eventually, as things keep going worse and worse, that may be a tactic they should finally consider.

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*First Published: December 12, 2021, 10:09 am