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: Season 7, Episode 4: Using Data to Better Manage PRRSV

PRRS continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing pork producers, but each outbreak can also provide valuable information about herd recovery, losses and the management decisions that follow.In this episode, Dr. Ana Paula Serafini Poeta Silva, a research scientist at Iowa State University, discusses the PRRS Outbreak Management Program, or POMP, and what researchers have learned from a database containing information from more than 700 breeding-herd outbreaks. She explains how POMP uses data from individual outbreaks to establish benchmarks producers can use to better understand what to expect during recovery, including potential losses and the time it may take for a herd to return to baseline production. The conversation also explores how PRRS management has evolved, including the role of live virus inoculation and modified-live vaccines.