In the midst of a torrential downpour, roughly 1,000 workers at a Guelph meat facility have hit the picket lines.
Workers with Cargill’s Dunlop Drive plant were seen Monday morning sporting signs, parkas and umbrellas, calling for a better deal from their employer.
“We met in mediation last week, and we reached a recommended settlement that provided an increase in each year, a four-year deal,” said Sam Caetano, the regional director for the UFCW’s Region 6.
But that deal was rejected at 82.4 per cent by union membership during a vote Sunday morning.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 175 and 633 represent the workers who walked off the job at 12:01 a.m. Monday.
“(The workers) believe there was not enough money in the deal,” Caetano added.
“In today’s world, a lot of the employees here are trying to maintain their lifestyle. Therefore, the monetary offer from the employer was not enough for the membership to accept, even though it was recommended by the committee.”
He said in speaking with members over the last few months, the same story comes up: between inflation, the price of gas, food bills, the government not doing anything about interest rates, workers can’t maintain their lifestyle.
“Some of the members are saying their mortgage went from $2,000 to $3,500 overnight, so they’re paying $1,500 a month more for the exact same money they’re borrowing from the banks,” Caetano said.
The feeling is that the government and the Bank of Canada don’t understand that, and needing to maintain their lifestyle, workers need a larger pay increase.
About 30 to 40 members showed up at midnight to prepare bibs and signs, while the rest showed up Monday morning.
Caetano said things are pretty well organized, and picketers have been told to keep one side clear for safety and allow trucks going to the Waste Resource Innovation Centre to get by and into its neighbouring facility.
A no board report was filed a couple weeks ago, after the two sides reached an impasse at the bargaining table.
No meetings are scheduled at this point between the union and the employer.
“We have not been contacted by the employer, so it’s just a waiting game for us,” Caetano said.
Workers at Cargill’s Watson Parkway location are still on the job. Their contract expires at the end of next year.
On Dunlop, Caetano said the plan is to picket seven days a week with scattered hours until a deal is reached.
Cargill provided the following emailed statement:
"We are disappointed by this outcome. Our proposed agreement, which the union bargaining committee unanimously recommended as a comprehensive proposal, honors the tremendous skill and dedication of our Guelph workforce in feeding families across Canada. We are concerned about the hardships this labour disruption will pose to our employees and our customers. We will be working with the union on next steps once we hear more from them.
"While we navigate this labour disruption, we will shift production to other facilities within our broad supply chain footprint to minimize any disruptions to our customers."
