Sign in Subscribe
Information services

Labour Dispute at Quality Meat Packers: Unionized Employees Stage Strike

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A labour dispute has ensued at Quality Meat Packers, a major pork processor in Ontario, Canada, with 600 unionized employees represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union local 175 going on strike. The workers, who were set to reject the company's offer of a 15% wage and benefit increase over three years, began their strike on November 1, 2004. Quality Meat Packers has suspended operations at its Toronto facility, which processes approximately 28,000 hogs per week, and is rerouting hogs to alternative destinations, including the United States.

Key Takeaways:

  • The labour dispute has resulted in a strike by 600 unionized employees of Quality Meat Packers, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union local 175.
  • The company's offer of a 15% wage and benefit increase over three years was rejected by the workers, who were seeking fair and just improvements in wages, pensions, hours of work, and collective agreement language.
  • Quality Meat Packers has suspended operations at its Toronto facility, which processes approximately 28,000 hogs per week, and is rerouting hogs to alternative destinations, including the United States.
  • The strike has had a significant impact on the Ontario hog industry, with hogs being detoured to alternative destinations.
  • The company's chairman, Frank Schwartz, expressed regret over the labour dispute and the impact it has had on stakeholders.
  • The strike is ongoing, with no immediate plans to resume negotiations on a new collective agreement.

Statistics:

  • 600: Number of unionized employees of Quality Meat Packers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union local 175.
  • 15%: The wage and benefit increase offered by Quality Meat Packers over three years, which was rejected by the workers.
  • 28,000: The number of hogs processed per week at the Quality Meat Packers facility in Toronto.
  • November 1, 2004: The date the strike began.
  • October 28, 2004: The date the workers voted down the employer's offer.
  • October 16, 2004: The date the workers voted to give their negotiating committee a strike mandate.
  • September 7, 2004: The date negotiations for a renewed contract commenced.

Sources:

  • Resource News International via COMTEX.
  • Quality Meat Packers.
  • United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union local 175.
  • Ontario Pork.
  • Keith Robbins, media relations officer with Ontario Pork.

Read more