UPDATED: MAY 1998
BACKGROUND #1 The Battle of 66th Street
BACKGROUND #2: Maple Leaf Foods Inc. News Stories from 1997 and 1998 Updates
Maple Leaf foods has forced its workers, members of UFCW 312A to strike the plant in Edmonton. This is part of a series on nation wide strikes and lockouts Maple Leaf has forced on its workers in Burlington, Ontario and North Battleford, Saskatchewan.
Maple Leaf has forced these strikes in order to shut down the Edmonton Operation (see Background #1) and to consolidate its Canadian operations, hoping to ratchet down workers wages in order to compete with American companies for the lucrative Asian pork market.
Maple Leaf has told workers that they intend to shut down the Edmonton plant and move out all the equipment. The UFCW in response has called for a national boycott of Maple Leaf meats.
Maple Leaf has declared war on its workers across Canada! Edmonton is the first battle in this war that could see other plants shut down and consolidated in a new plant the company intends to build or into the new Winnipeg plant they hope to gain by taking over Schneiders Foods.
As part of a national coordinated campaign by UFCW, Maple Leaf plants across Canada were targeted as their contracts came up, to force Maple Leaf into a national contract. While several of the companies bakery and poultry operations came to agreements this was not the case with the pork plants. As the pork industry booms in Canada(see Background #2)Michael McCain CEO of Maple Leaf has forced this strike in order to gut plant operations, and drive wages down to compete with American plants.
Unfortunately in the Edmonton case this is complicated by the fact that McCain has made no bones that he does not intend to negotiate, rather he has said for the past six months that he intends on removing the plants equipment. No scabs are in the plant and the workers are waiting for him to make his move. The Mayor has unsuccesfully tried to get McCain back to the table while Preimer Ralph Klein has told the workers to give up, since the plant closure is inevitable that the plant and their jobs will be "bulldozed".
Klein conveniently forgets that the building and property are owned by the taxpayers of Alberta, while the millions poured into the plants equipment were also subsidized by the public, when the plant was owned by Tory businessmen; Peter Pocklington (Gainers) and later by Arthur Childes (Burns).
Because the UFCW took a national coordinated approach to this strike it did not move beyond the traditional tactic of walking out. In the Edmonton situation a good case existed for using the tactic of the sit down strike or plant occupation.
Recently CAW (Canadian Auto Workers) have used this tactic successfully in the recent PC World strike and during this summers auto strike.
Despite unprecidented calls from Alberta Labour leaders and others, such as Women On The Waterfront (WOW) who joined the picket during their Alberta Tour, to seriously consider plant occupation the UFCW leadership avoided
an obvious clash with management.
With management serious about closing the plant and gutting it of its capital, that is the newly
purchased processing equipment paid for by Alberta taxpayers, UFCW leadership once again pulled defeat from the jaws of victory.
Perhaps not as reprehensible as the P9 Hormel debacle in the eighties, this failure to hold the plant and equipemnt (after a token show of militancy in not letting trucks through to haul out the processing equipment), UFCW gave up the
fight with a mere whimper.
This ultimately led to the dismissal of over 900 workers and the closing of the plant. The workers were justifably angered and outraged at what they considered a sell out by the UFCW leadership.
Worse yet the union promoted workers collecting collecting EI by January of 1998, thus eliminating their right to strike pay!
A plant occupation and a strong picket line outside with public support, of which there was plenty and more could have been mobilized, could have saved jobs and turned this fight into a province wide and national issue.
Instead the results of the win by McCain and Maple Leaf in closing the plant and the subsequent secret deal with Brandon for opening up an operation there
demoralized rank and file workers in UFCW across the country regardless of claims that UFCW leadership in Manitoba didn't know about the Brandon deal.
No more so than Burlington workers who also were threatened with plant closure and subsequently gave concessions to Maple Leaf.
Despite the weak protests to the contrary from UFCW national leadership denouncing the Burlington workers decision, it was the failure in their tactics and strategy that led to this
debacle. Now they face a rank and file revolt that is being misdirected into attempts to sue the national union by those taking advantage of the digruntled, and by UFCW jobs center to molify the local leadership and still loyal
activists. In reality the rank and file in UFCW need to fight for reform and reorganization to make their union a truly democratic and responsive one. That
is one of the lessons that needs to be learned from this strike! The other is that the Edmonton situation, knowing that the plant would be closed, a good case could be made that they would have been more succesful with a plant occupation and strong picket line, preventing Maple Leaf from gutting the plant.
This was formerly the Gainers packing plant in Edmonton, scene of one of the longest and most violent labour disputes in Albera History. UFCW took on Gainers local millonaire, & Edmonton Oilers, owner Peter Pocklington, in the 1986 strike.
Pocklington was eventually bailed out by his Tory pals in the Provincial government, the taxpayers paid $22 million to keep Gainers afloat. After the strike when Pocklington couldn't pay off his debts to the Alberta government, they seized Gainers and sold it to Burns Foods of Calgary.
Burns, owned by Arthur Childes another long time Tory bagman and supporter, threatened to shut the plant if workers didn't take a three year wage freeze. Burns sold the plant to Maple Leaf Foods, owned by a member of the McCain family, (McCain Foods Ltd.) and they have threatened to shut the plant permanentlyif UFCW Local 312A goes on strike.
Do we see a trend here?
Currently Maple Leaf Foods appears on a path of national union busting, with possible strikes in seven locations across Canada. UFCW will be holding a national organizing meeting in Edmonton in early September to decide how to deal with Maple Leafs confrontational approach in contract talks.
Maple Leaf foods announced on August 30, 1997 that they plan to lock out Edmonton workers if the workers interfere in their attempts to dismantle the plant.
Meanwhile local politicians from all three levels of government have drafted a letter to Maple Leaf Foods calling on them to announce where they will build their new hog plant, which is key to the current Edmonton dispute. They are asking for public support to put pressure on Maple Leaf Foods.
On October 2, the Vice president of Maple Leaf Foods threw down the gauntlet by announcing that the company had no intentions of building a pork processing plant 'anywhere in Canada', unless workers took wage roll backs to be competitive with American de-regulated meatpacking companies. The Mayor of Edmonton, Bill Smith
blasted the company "saying that if the company doesn't like the way business is done in Canada it should consider moving to the United States or to a Third World country. "
UFCW also
challenged Maple Leaf's reference to wages and working conditions being compared to the U.S.
Click here for information and backgrounders published in the Edmonton Journal. This is a search of all articles on the Maple Leaf Foods dispute published in the Journal.
The Alberta New Democrats say that Maple Leaf Foods benefited from $22 million dollar bail out by Alberta taxpayers and should quit threatening to close plant.
AFL calls for Bocott of Maple Leaf products
by Gil McGowan, AFL Staff
Edmonton-Albertans can help force Michael
McCain, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Meats, to treat his employees with
the respect and dignity they deserve, by participating in a boycott of all
Maple Leaf products, says Les Steel, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta
Federation of Labour (AFL).
"McCain is an eastern millionaire who is trying to wipe his feet on
the backs of Alberta workers," says Steel. Albertans can make sure
he doesn't get away with it by refusing to buy his products. An effective
boycott will send a message that Albertans can't be pushed around or mistreated."
Steel announced the Alberta boycott--which will become part of a larger
national boycott--after consulting with other labour leaders from around
province. The boycott applies to a wide range of consumer items--including
meat products marketed under the Maple Leaf, Burns and Swift brand names,
baked goods sold under the names Canada Bread, Dempsters, Tenderflake and
Venice Bakery; and canned goods like KAM and KLIK.
"The Boycott
is endorsed and supported by the Canadian Labour Congress"
The union which represents employees at Maple Leaf Foods is continuing its boycott against all products the company produces.The United Food and Commercial Workers Union say that while strikes and lock-outs at Maple Leaf plants in Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan have ended, the boycott will remain in place until all outstanding issues have been settled.
UFCW is particularly anxious to get severance pay for the former employees of the now-closed Maple Leaf packinghouse in Edmonton.
The union also wants to secure all payments promised by the company to the workers who are returning to their employment with Maple Leaf before the boycott is lifted.
UFCW representative Maurice Werezak said the nation-wide boycott of Maple Leaf products was very effective in forcing the company back to the bargaining table and has helped the union preserve important parts of the collective agreements.
Public support for the national boycott has been critical in preventing Maple Leaf from gutting the employees’ contracts and slashing pay rates to the minimum wage. Please continue to boycott Maple Leaf products until all outstanding differences have been settled.
Meat Products: Maple Leaf, Burns, Overlander, Swift Premium, Prime Poultry, Campfire, Shopsy’s, Coorsh, Clover, Bittners, Devon, Parma, Hygrade, Mary Miles, York.
Baked Goods: Canada Bread, Dempsters, Karnes, Tenderflake Lard, Tenderflake Pastry, Venice Bakery.
Canned & Frozen: KAM, Klik, Maple Leaf canned chicken & ham, Maple Leaf frozen pizza, Hash browns.
Other: Country Style Doughnuts, Olivieri pasta & sauces, Buns Master Bakeries, Shur-Gain Pet Food & Livestock Feeds.
The National Office of the United Food and Commercial
Workers International Unon (UFCW) has requested the Canadian
Labour Congress to lift the boycott against Maple Leaf Foods, after all
outstanding labour issues were resolved last Sunday.
In the November 8 meeting, members of UFCW Local 312A voted to
accept a memorandum of agreement dealing with the outstanding issues
arising from the closure of the Edmonton Maple Leaf Foods pork plant
approximately one year ago.
The United Food and Commercial Workers and
Maple Leaf Meats announced today that they have resolved all
outstanding issues in relation to the closure of the Edmonton plant.
The union and the company have reached an agreement that former
hourly employees will receive either an enhanced pension benefit or a
lump sum cash payment. In addition, all outstanding grievances have been
resolved. The total value of this package is in excess of $4.2-million.
The battle over beef has been fought and lost, but Canada�s
largest food company is holding its own in the bacon business. The employees of
Maple Leaf Foods, however, are picking up the tab.
The company�s Manitoba workers have agreed to reduce their pay by about
one-third. Workers in Ontario and Saskatchewan have been forced to swallow
similar bitter pills. Bernard Christophe, president of the Winnipeg Maple Leaf UFCW local, blames free
trade for the wage cuts.
Maple Leaf Foods president Michael McCain will also
become the company's new chief executive next year, the big Toronto-based
food processor said Monday.
McCain, who is also chief operating officer, will replace Archie McLean, who
announced this spring he would be leaving the company next Jan. 1.
McCain has been a senior executive with Maple Leaf since his father, former
New Brunswick french fry king Wallace McCain, and the Ontario Teachers
Pension Plan Board, took over the company in a $1.2-billion deal in 1995.
"During the last three years, Michael McCain has made a tremendous
contribution to the evolution of Maple Leaf Foods," said Purdy Crawford,
chairman of the Maple Leaf board's human resources committee.
Maple Leaf Foods is extending its offer for Schneider
Corporation�s shares, continuing a battle for control of the 108-year-old food
processor which has been tied up in court.
Maple Leaf said Monday night it is extending the deadline for shares in the
Kitchener, Ont.,-based company until 12:01 a.m. ET, Sat., Oct. 10, 1998.
The Ontario Court of Appeal is considering arguments from opponents of the
Schneider family�s deal to sell control of the company to Virginia-based
Smithfield Foods.
The battle over beef has been fought and lost, but Canada�s
largest food company is holding its own in the bacon business. The employees of
Maple Leaf Foods, however, are picking up the tab.
The company�s Manitoba workers have agreed to reduce their pay by about
one-third. Workers in Ontario and Saskatchewan have been forced to swallow
similar bitter pills. Bernard Christophe, president of the Winnipeg Maple Leaf UFCW local, blames free
trade for the wage cuts.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. suggested yesterday it could lower or withdraw its offer for rival hog
processor Schneider Corp.
Maple Leaf is assessing possible changes in world meat demand brought on by economic and
market upheavals in the past few weeks, and said this could affect the value of Kitchener-based
Schneider.
1997 News Stories
Purdy Crawford, Q.C. Toronto, Ontario. Director since 1973. Chairman, Imasco Limited, CT Financial Services Inc. Director, Avenor Inc., Camco Inc., Canadian National Railway Company, Dominion Textile Inc., Inco Limited, Maple Leaf Foods Inc., Nova Scotia Power Inc., Petro-Canada, Trinova Corporation, Woolworth Corporation. Chancellor, Mount Allison University. Governor Emeritus, McGill University. Governor, Royal Victoria Hospital Corporation. Advisory Board, Oxford Frozen Foods Limited. Honorary Counsel, Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt.
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