Nearly 1,000 workers at a Guelph meat facility are on the verge of walking off the job.
The union representing 960 workers at Cargill Guelph’s plant on Dunlop Drive have been working without a contract since the beginning of the year.
The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 175 and 633 represent those workers.
The plant on Dunlop is one of two Cargill plants in Guelph. Workers at the Watson Parkway location are not impacted.
“We are far apart on wages,” said Sam Caetano, the UFCW’s regional director for Region 6.
“That’s the way of the world these days. People can’t survive anymore (with) the price of inflation. Government doesn’t know what they’re doing with interest rates.”
He said workers can’t maintain their style of living with the current rate of pay.
Caetano said the union and the company were at the bargaining table, but reached an impasse.
A no-board report has been received, putting the union in legal strike position in 17 days.
The earliest the union can hit the picket lines won’t be determined until later this week, he added.
In a statement to GuelphToday, a spokesperson said the company is aware of the no board report.
"(We) remain optimistic an agreement will be reached as part of our continued negotiations with the UFCW that reflects our employees’ commitment to excellence at Cargill and the critical role they play in feeding families across Canada," said Chuck Miller, the company's senior communications manager.
