The strike at a Guelph meat facility is now into its second week, with no end in sight.
The union representing roughly 1,000 workers at the Cargill plant on Dunlop Drive remains on the picket line for a ninth straight day, with no meetings scheduled between the employer and the union.
“There was a conversation between me and the employer maybe about five to six days ago,” said Sam Caetano, the regional director for the UFCW’s Region 6.
“Since then, there’s been no other conversation in regards to bargaining or getting back to the table. We’re just waiting for a call.”
Unionized workers have been without a contract since the beginning of the year.
Caetano commended the members for keeping things organized, from parking to walking along the side of the road and allowing vehicles to access adjoining roads, including Cargill and the waste facility.
Members have been on a 24-hour cycle to maintain a strong presence at all hours.
Joining them on Tuesday were officials with the National Defense Fund, which funds striking workers across the country. Representatives spent the morning talking with members.
“We have 1,000 hard working people at this plant, many of our members at this plant are temporary foreign workers,” said Derek Johnstone, special assistant to the national president and administrator of the National Defense Fund.
“This is very much a global system. These are workers throughout the food system who stood up during COVID, put their lives on the line – we had members who died at these meat plants, not this one but other meat plants in Canada and the US, we had members who died – and coming out of COVID, there is a frustration that we saw record profits by these transnational corporations throughout COVID, coming out of COVID, some of the best profits they’ve ever had.”
He said they were heralded as frontline heroes, but there is a feeling of disconnect between how well the sector has done over the past few years, what’s been heard with global food companies, and what’s being said at the negotiating table.
“It’s high time that employers, politicians, the general public start looking at the work that’s done here and give Cargill workers and all food sector workers the respect we so rightfully deserve,” Johnstone said.
“We are an integral part of the food system, and without us, there’s no food.”
Caetano said members are eager to get a deal done and get back to work, but are prepared to strike until a fair deal is reached.
So what is a fair deal, as far as the union is concerned?
“We gotta get back to the table and talk about that,” Caetano answered.
“But it’s the same story that we’re hearing from membership. The cost of inflation, cost of food, cost of gas, interest rates almost doubling for some of our members here. Can’t really afford to maintain their lifestyle, so we’re just looking to get back to the table and get a fair deal, and we’re willing to work with the employer to get there.”
When asked for an update from the company’s perspective, a spokesperson for Cargill provided the same statement it released last week, expressing disappointment in the outcome.
“Our proposed agreement, which the union bargaining committee unanimously recommended as a comprehensive proposal, honours the tremendous skill and dedication of our Guelph workforce in feeding families across Canada," the statement reads. "The unanimously recommended settlement included a wage increase in each year of the four-year settlement, with over a 9.3 per cent increase in year one alone, retroactive pay dating back to Jan. 1, 2024, benefit enhancements, and a signing bonus.
“We are concerned about the hardships a 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.”
