Potential strike looms at Cargill meat plant

A contract dispute involving more than 2,000 workers at Cargill’s meatpacking plant in High River, Alta., marks a “watershed moment” for the Canadian beef sector, says a union leader.

“Eighty percent of the workers tell us that they’re still frightened of acquiring COVID-19, notwithstanding the fact that the vaccination rate is pretty high in the plant,” said Thomas Hesse, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW) Union Local 401 in Calgary.

Ninety-seven percent of about 1,400 workers who participated voted Nov. 4 in favour of a strike, with notice served Nov. 10 that “if a deal is not reached, we’ll be on strike at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 6.”

The employees, many of whom are immigrants, feel they are largely invisible to people in authority at both Cargill and the provincial government, he said. Hundreds of workers were infected and two died following a COVID-19 outbreak last year that was the largest in North America, forcing the closure of the plant for two weeks.

“The plants are based on efficiencies, so (workers are) jammed into these plants, and so certainly money is an issue, health and safety is an issue — they’re certainly looking for some sort of compensation for what they’ve been through.”

Despite the fact the pandemic has continued and beef prices in grocery stores have soared, Cargill ended its extra pandemic pay for workers last year, said Hesse.

Cargill said in a statement Nov. 12 it is optimistic an agreement will be reached. It has submitted a proposal that is “very fair and representative of our values to put people first and do the right thing.”

The company and union have “exchanged multiple comprehensive proposals that included increased wages well beyond the industry standard, enhanced employee benefits and cash bonus’ for active employees,” said the statement.

“At Cargill, we greatly value our employees and the work they do to feed Canadians … we remain focused on employee safety, ensuring farmers and ranchers have access to markets, and providing meals for families across Canada.”

Hesse said there is a natural affinity between meatpacking workers and beef producers that has led some farmers to privately express sympathy for workers. Both groups are in the “grasp of the big packing houses” who control the Canadian market, he said.

However, there haven’t been any formal statements of support from any producer-led industry group “that has demonstrated an ounce of sympathy,” he added. By contrast, Hesse said there has been wide support by the public, with some consumers saying they will boycott Cargill’s products if a strike occurs.

The company controls much of the market, “so there’s a lot of speculation as to what impact this (dispute) will have on the industry itself … and the Cargill circumstance has laid bare for the eyes of consumers, the Canadian public, and ranchers the kind of conditions under which these workers work.”

Contact doug.ferguson@producer.com