photo courtesy the Canadian Press

By Justin Goulet (Lethbridge News Now)

CARGILL DEAL

Cargill workers accept new contract, avoid strike

Dec 6, 2021 | 9:25 AM

HIGH RIVER, AB – A strike has been avoided at Cargill Inc.

Cargill’s High River plant processes about 35 percent of Canada’s beef production. Union workers have accepted a new labour contract, averting a strike that threatened the country’s meat market.

United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401 (UFCW) announced over the weekend that workers chose to accept the new contract offer, with 71 percent voting in favour.

In a statement, the UFCW said, “the contract is the best of its kind and presented unprecedented gains in this time of economic and political uncertainty and during the biggest health crisis the world has ever seen.”

“A victory has been won and this is a day to celebrate.”

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President Thomas Hesse said, “at times over the last number of months, workers have felt helpless.”

“Chaos has swirled about and it often felt like workers have been treated like lightbulbs – you burn out and the forces of greed and power simply screw in another bulb. But our members, have shown that the vulnerability of the individual is overcome by the strength of the many.”

The new contract includes new procedures to ensure worker health and safety, according to Hesse, as well as new benefits and new mechanisms to make sure “workers are treated with dignity and respect.”

It also includes new rights for sick employees.

Over 2,000 people work at the Cargill plant in High River.