CARGILL STRIKE SOLIDARITY PAGE
UFCW LOCAL 1118
HIGH RIVER ALBERTA CANADA
UFCW LOCAL 1118
HIGH RIVER ALBERTA CANADA
This was an independent web page created in support of the 1600 striking meat packing workers at the High River, Alberta Cargill plant. The workers, members of UFCW Local 1118 had been walking the picket lines since July 10, 1997.
This page is the creation of Eugene W. Plawiuk, and the opinions expressed are those of the individual authors and not the UFCW or Local 1118, unless so indicated.
This page includes information on the strike, links to newspaper coverage and contacts for Local 1118 as well as background on Cargill and their email address where letters of protest can be sent.
This page was the origin of the Alberta Strike Solidarity page (1997) which has expanded to include Alberta and Canada Labour News pages in 1998.
INDEXClick here to go to stories on this page | Solidarity Messages to Cargill Workers |
| News Stories On the Strike | Background on the Strike by Neil Fettes |
| Cargill Inc. | |
Cargill Workers, UFCW Local 1118
Fax: 1-403-652-3378
or
SEND LETTERS OF PROTEST TO:
Cargill Inc.
E-Mail: [email protected]
Or
Fax: 1- 612-742-7393
NEWS STORIES ON THE STRIKETalks resume in Cargill Strike, Calgary Sun, July 31, 1997.
Union angry over Cargill hiring strikebreakers
Calgary Herald, Friday 18 July 1997
Strikebreaker hit by blaze
Calgary Herald,Thursday 17 July 1997
Cargill workers reject offer
Calgary Herald, Monday 14 July 1997
Workers say Cargill production demanding
Calgray Herald, Sunday 13 July 1997
Cargill union told to back off
Calgary Herald, Saturday 12 July 1997
On Thursday July 10 picket lines went up at the Cargill meatpacking plant in High River, Alberta a community of about 7,000 an hour south of Calgary. Cargill is one of the largest privately owned companies in the world, employing 76,000 people in 66 countries. The head office of this "family business" is in Minnesota. Cargill employs over 1,600 workers and 94.2% of them voted for strike action after their contract expired in June. Cargill workers are currently organized in UFCW local 1118.
Over 1,000 pickets blocked the entrances to the plant on the first day of the strike.The pickets were so boisterous on the first day of the strike that the company security force, recommended to the company that they discontinue their scab shuttle for management and those workers who were crossing. Cargill responded quickly by getting an injunction to ban pickets. An Alberta Labour Relations Board official discribed the workers' actions as "unlawful" and banned them from coming with ten feet of vehicles entering or leaving the plant. While decrying the decision UFCW leaders have abided by the ruling.
Despite the fact the picket lines have been solid Cargill has made strong efforts to lure the workers back. A full page ad in the "Calgary Herald" announced the company was implementing their final offer immediately for any workers who returned to the job. But their lack of success in luring strikers back has not been Cargill's only problem. Cargill has attempted to hire scabs, but has run into a problem: It is paying only $8/hour for an extremely difficult job which requires an hour's communte from Calgary.
Cargill pays no compensation for the long ride. Over 70% of Cargill's workforce comes from Calgary and currently the Calgary economy is booming.
There are plenty of easier,and better paying, jobs than the ones for which Cargill is advertising. Moreover many of the area residents have already worked for Cargill and have no desire to return to the conditions there. In any event Cargill has had little success with scabs to date. US managers are said to be astounded that so few workers have crossed the line.
What are the issues in the strike? One issue is wages. Workers rejected a $1.50 raise over four years offered by the company. Hourly wages at Cargill start at $8. Instead the union is seeking a $.65 per hour raise over each year of a three year contract.
A more important issue is diginity. "Everybody wants to go on strike because they're fed up with this place. They treat you like slaves," said meatcutter Fayyaz Khan. The same line that processed 1,300 cattle during an eight hour shift a year ago was processing 2,000 just before the strike. Is Cargill willing to share with its employees? "If you get hurt you lose your bonus," said Shakeel Ahmad, a two year employee. A meatcutter told me he had workered at Cargill for two and a half years and "I do a good job, but there's always a supervisor standing behind you saying 'do it this way, you're not doing it right. These are grown men and women, not children".
Cargill has a multi-national workplace. Its workers represent every part of the globe. As one told CTV news "I didn't come here to be a slave. I came here to be a man." One worker on the line told me he was amazed by the solidarity. "Most of the people here don't speak English, but it's really coming together."
As a final note as to how Cargill really feels about its workers, witness the following story. On Tuesday a striking Cargill worker went to the drugstore to pick up his two week insulin prescription only yo discover the company had cancelled his Blue Cross health benefits!
Following on the heels of a UFCW strike against grocery giant Safeway, the Cargill action is important. At the present time there are no organized rallies planned. Those who can go down to the lines are encouraged to do so and to take non-perishable foods for strikers. Currently there is no call for a boycott. If that situation changes, "things will go crazy here" said one picketer.
Editors Note: This is an edited version of the original article
UFCW Local 1518, Vancouver B.C.
IWW Industrial Workers of the World
UPDATED: July, 1998
Page design � Copyright 1997 Eugene W. Plawiuk.
Contents are � Copyright the individual authors, or original sources that have been linked.
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