Hows the labor situation?

[cowman]

I was just thinking the other day that if I was a union leader at Cargill how now would be a perfect time to muscle a few bucks out of the company! I mean consider the plant is making record profits and they can't ship their live cattle across the line to one of their US plants?
Now I don't think IBP has a union but hey what an ideal time to set one up? And couldn't they make those old thieves nervous?
It would sure be interesting to see what kind of response would come from our provincial and federal governments if the union threw the whole industry into a major summer strike?
So does anyone know when the contracts are up or how militant this union is?

[amazed]

The packers are not very popular right now but a striking plant workers would be looked upon even less favorably and would certainly feel the wrath of the producers.

It is one thing to think of such a disaster piled upon our current situation but why would you even mention it?

[grassfarmer]

Cowman , I refer you to my thread of May 2nd titled "Packers". It gives you a clue to what the state of labour is in packing plants at the moment. As I said these parasites need to be brought into line. They seem to have wangled out of providing their accounts for inspection yesterday by maybe appealing it which will drag it out until an election is called when it will be dropped quietly - what can we do to get action on this now?

[cowman]

Well amazed I was just wondering...
Why would the producers be so mad? Wouldn't the union just be trying to do the right thing for their people? Cargill/IBP have certainly done very well in the last year or so? Why wouldn't the people who do the work expect to share in the bounty?
I wonder if Revenue Canada or some other government agency told me to send in the books, how it would go over if I told them to go to hell? Isn't this exactly what the packers have told the government? What has happened in this country when two foreign companys can just do whatever they want? Something is really wrong here.

[jensend]

labour negotiations are just another reason they don't want to open the books. if some ndp mp runs to the union with reports of big profits the fight is on.

[amazed]

Cowman, there is only one way to "muscle a few bucks" out of the packers is to go on strike.

My point is that that is the last thing I as a producer need right now! You may be getting out of the business but there are many of us who aren't.

[kato]

Speaking of labour and packing plants, we heard a story on the radio yesterday about a worker from Lakeside who was laid off.

Sixty other workers were upset because they thought this fellow was unfairly fired, and accompanied him to the Mayor's office to protest. After that, all sixty of them were fired.

We just heard this quickly, and haven't heard any follow up or further details. We're not even sure that we heard it right, because they only ran the story once.

Does anyone else know more about it?

[GrnAsMoss]

IBP Walkout: Front page of the Brooks Bulletin carried the story(it's online just Google it), it was also covered for 30 mins. on 770AM Calgary last Tuesday morning. No one mentioned being fired though. The leader of the Sudanese community, Mayor of Brooks, and Lakeside spokesman were all on the radio.

[kato]

Thank you.

[GrnAsMoss]

I'm torn. When were unions ever a good idea? IBP/Tyson Foods need a huge whip on the wrists from the fed's for not disclosing their records. Were they officially audited? (Who knows)Which level of govn't is asking for their records? And just how many numbers $ would the government leak to the press? If you were Garnet Altwaisser I'm sure you would hold out for as long as you could. I hate to defend such a bunch of bulleys but think of all the secondary businesses depending on IBP that are owned and operated by Canadians. Yes, unions would help those working there, but with the Mexican peso being cheap and the Cdn dollar gaining, plus unions, plus government pressure, how much would it take for Tyson to cut clean and develop in Mexico. They can change their watermelon to corn silage in one season.

[grassfarmer]

I'm not a fan of workers unions either but all your reasons above would allow for slavery.
I think in a modern, wealthy democratic society like Canada we can do better than that and standards need to be set by the Government that reflect the population at large's view on a fair deal.
The Packers MUST be accountable to the laws of the country or they should be shut down. I think it is a disgrace that no action was taken against these rogues on Monday. A fine of several thousand $ a day would get their cooperation.