Strike at Cargill’s Canadian meat plant ends after 41 days
Striking workers at a meat plant owned by US agri-food giant Cargill in Canada have voted to return to work after securing a new wage deal.
The 960 unionized workers at the Cargill Dunlop beef plant in Guelph, Ontario, have ratified a new collective agreement after 41 days of strikes.
The United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) union, which represents Guelph workers who walked off the job on May 26, said employees will return to work today (July 8) and the plant – which processes about 1,500 head of cattle a day – will resume production.
Kelly Tosato, president of UFCW Local 175, said, “In our union, power is in the hands of our members through their democratic vote, and members at Cargill Dunlop have used their vote to make their voices heard.
“It’s a difficult decision to go on strike, and it can be an even harder decision to end a strike. But these members stood up against a huge corporation and they can be proud of their strength and courage.”
The agreement provides for wage increases totaling 3.75 Canadian dollars (US$2.75) per hour over the term of the contract, including US$2 per hour in the first year. The US$2 will be paid retroactively for all hours worked since January 1, including overtime. In addition, members will receive a contract renewal bonus in the form of a lump sum of US$500.
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Other union successes include improvements in dental insurance and longer bereavement leave.
In a statement to Just foodA Cargill spokesperson said: “Cargill is pleased to have reached an agreement with the union that our employees in Guelph have ratified. The agreement, which is comprehensive, fair and market-based, reflects the critical role they play in feeding families across Canada.
“We believe this positive outcome is in the best interests of our employees, customers and producers and look forward to building a stronger future together.”
Meanwhile, workers at another Cargill meat plant in Canada – this time in Calgary – are expected to vote today (July 8) on whether or not to accept the company’s latest payment offer.
The results of the vote are expected on Wednesday (July 10).
In June, 100 percent of workers at UFCW Local 401 said they would support a strike if Cargill was unable to offer a sufficient wage settlement.
Thomas Hesse, President of UFCW Local 401, commented on the solution at the Guelph plant: “We owe a debt of gratitude to the members of Local 175.
“We probably owe many of the improvements we see in our own comparison offer to their courage and willingness to fight.”
According to a statement from the UFCW, Cargill’s new proposal for Calgary workers includes guaranteed working hours for “a significant number of workers,” a retroactive payment averaging C$400,000 per worker, and wage improvements.
Chris O’Halloran, executive director of UFCW Local 401, said the proposal “does not meet everything that members wanted and deserve,” but stressed that “this offer includes real improvements that we can build upon.”
He added: “The harsh reality is that employees in Guelph have now settled in, and it may be unrealistic to think that 400 employees on duty can achieve more than 1,100 striking workers in Guelph after 41 days.”
“Local 401’s job is to fight, but also to give workers fair and realistic advice.”
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