Cargill’s labour disputes may be approaching the finish line.
Striking workers at Cargill’s Dunlop beef processing plant in Guelph, Ont., have a recommended memorandum of settlement in place and they will vote on the possible deal on Saturday.
Almost 1,000 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 175, which represents workers at the plant, went on strike on May 27.
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The strike has been stressful for beef farmers in Ontario, as cattle have had to be marketed further afield. Manitoba was also closely watching the dispute, as Eastern Canada is a significant destination for Manitoba cattle.
Beef Farmers of Ontario said on X that it is “encouraged by positive contract discussions at the Cargill, Guelph plant.”
To the west
Workers at Cargill’s Case Ready plant in Calgary also voted to strike in June, in what the local union there, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, noted was an almost unheard of unanimous vote June 4-5.
In a post on the union’s website dated June 26, the bargaining committee noted that Cargill had proposed an improved settlement offer, including retro pay to an average $4,000 per employee, guaranteed hours on the schedule for more workers, a greater wage increase and a full-time “walking steward to monitor the implementation of an agreement and to address issues and concerns” in the workplace.”
Offers from a previous proposed agreement stayed in place, including improved health benefits, converting flex employees to full-time and improved job levels.
Information meetings were scheduled for July 2 and July 4, with a ratification vote scheduled July 8. — With files from Farmtario.
