Laramie Cement Workers Defy the Odds, Vote to Unionize

In a state known for its hardline anti-union politics, nearly 80 workers at the Mountain Cement Company in Laramie just pulled off something big: they voted to unionize.

The decision — 40 in favor, 26 against — comes after years of back-and-forth and growing frustration on the plant floor. Workers say they’ve had enough of unpredictable schedules, forced overtime, high turnover and safety shortcuts. Now, they’ll join the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers.

“Just talking about it makes me teary-eyed,” said Alex Hicks, a mechanic and welder. “I was threatened with my job. Now I don’t have to worry every day if this is going to be my last.”

Union membership in Wyoming is rare — just 5.6% of workers in 2024, compared to nearly 10% nationwide. That made the victory even sweeter for employees and for labor organizers who supported them.

“This is huge,” said Wyoming AFL-CIO Executive Director Marcie Kindred. “We’re the reddest right-to-work state in the nation, and they just proved that even in Wyoming, you can fight and freaking win.”

The cement plant has long been a staple of Laramie’s economy, but workers say conditions have worsened in recent years. Former lead electrician Robert Hodges, who says he was fired for organizing, described it as “corporate attitudes creeping in,” with younger workers burning out quickly and equipment repairs often delayed until they broke — usually on weekends or at 2 a.m.

The plant, which supplies cement for roads, buildings and even wind turbines, is a tough place to work — hot boilers, heavy machinery, clouds of dust. Employees say management talks safety, but production always comes first.

For many, the vote was as much about dignity as it was about protections. Hicks said his teenage son had begged him to quit because of constant last-minute call-ins.

“There was just no work/life balance,” he said.

The mood after the ballots were counted was electric.

“I’ve never seen more hugs, high fives, and smiling faces,” Hicks said. “It was awesome, like the birth of a child — the whole family just excited it happened.”

The company, a subsidiary of Eagle Materials, didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The original story by Dustin Bleizeffer for WyoFile.