Cargill Strike in Guelph, Calgary Workers Vote Looms

Jun 04, 2024

The question is what impact these strikes will have on labour relations across the agriculture industry?

The strike at Cargill’s Dunlop facility in Guelph affecting over 1,000 workers began as of 12:01 a.m. on May 27, 2024.

This decision followed a vote three days prior where an overwhelming 82% of UFCW Local 175 members rejected the proposed settlement. The plant, known for its beef slaughtering operations, is now at a standstill, signaling significant disruptions in the supply chain.

Workers are contesting the cessation of a $2 hourly pandemic bonus and what is describes as the insufficient adjustment of wages to match the rising cost of living.

Looking ahead, the strike may extend to Cargill’s Case Ready plant in Calgary, where workers are set to vote on June 5-6, 2024.

This facility plays a vital role in preparing and packaging meat products and is crucial in keeping the distribution lines moving. Key issues for the Calgary workers include securing guaranteed working hours to ensure stable income amid fluctuating market demands.

The outcomes of these strikes are being closely watched, as they will likely influence labour relations strategies not only within Cargill but across the broader agricultural industry.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.