BY KATY LEROUGETEL
EDMONTON, Alberta - While hundreds of members of United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 312A on strike against Maple Leaf Foods packed a union information meeting November 24, the company removed its signs from the hog- packing plant here.

For the next two days, strikers blocked a mobile crane and transport truck from entering the plant. The company was attempting to remove equipment. Michael McCain, the plant owner, has announced that the factory will be closing for good.

The 900 UFCW members here and 900 others at Maple Leaf's plant in Burlington, Ontario, have been on strike since mid- November. They are resisting company demands for deep concessions, including cuts in pay, holidays, and benefits.

Maple Leaf failed in its attempt to obtain a Labour Relations Board ruling that would prevent meaningful picketing. On November 28, the board ruled that up to 25 pickets be permitted at any gate, and an unlimited number of further strikers can patrol between gates. Alberta premier Ralph Klein announced the government will be seeking another company to take over the facilities.

The unionists are building a boycott of Maple Leaf products and seeking to promote solidarity with their fight in the region. Motorists frequently honk in support as they drive by the pickets. The Ontario Federation of Labour endorsed the boycott at its convention the last week in November.

Hundreds of UFCW strikers rallied outside the Edmonton plant November 22. They were joined by striking postal workers and unionists wearing identifying placards from the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP), the Alberta Union of Public Employees, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees, to name a few.

Greg McMaster, Canadian Union of Postal Workers local president, addressed the rally, as did Alberta New Democratic Party leader Pam Barrett, Audrey Cormack, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, and other union officials.

Jack Westgeest, president of the striking local, drew cheers when he declared, "Michael McCain does not own this land, this building. We've had six employers, we welcome employer number seven."

He was referring to the lease on very favorable terms that the provincial government accords the company. Maple Leaf owns only the plant equipment outright. The facility is 90 years old and was the scene of a hard-fought strike in 1986, when it was called Gainers and owned by Peter Pocklington.

Fred Finlay, a box maker with 33 years in the plant, told the Militant, "We'll boycott every product he's got. We boycotted in '86 when it was Gainers, and it took him seven years to get his business back."

Dave Ferris, originally from Oshawa, Ontario, moved out here for the oil boom 22 years ago and has worked in the plant for the past 17 years. "This is my third strike here - in '84, '86, and now '97," he said with a grin.

Ferris and other pickets described the company campaign of intimidation before the strike. Letters were handed out on the shop floor threatening closure, and also hand delivered to employees' homes the same day to ensure that other family members saw them. Foremen would call union members to their office and leave supposedly secret company memos lying in full view. Both the union and the company provided vans to ferry union members to the place where the strike vote was being held.

Shelby Bishop, who works in porkcuts and has 11 years in the plant, is docked 20 cents a minute for going to the bathroom, "and that includes walking time. They've got these chits and sometimes the foremen stand outside [the bathroom] timing."

Russ Campbell, a meat cutter with three years' service, makes Can$11 an hour (Can$1=US$0.70). "If I was working in Red Deer or Winnipeg, I'd be making $4 or $5 more." He thinks McCain is making too much money to close the plant. Explaining why many workers have felt confident to strike, despite threats of permanent plant closure, Russ said, "He might as well shut it down now. There's lots of jobs out here because of the boom." Oil development is expanding in Alberta now.

Terry Jaguary, a member of CEP Local 777, was walking the line with her husband, Tim, who has just begun making Can$10 an hour after two and a half years in the plant. He developed carpal tunnel syndrome from meat cutting and has since changed departments. She explained she comes from a strong union family, and was very happy when her husband landed a unionized job. "And then, he's out on strike!"

Pickets explained the tough working conditions and problems obtaining compensation for injuries. "They told me that working on the kill floor didn't cause my hernia," said Dave Brockbank, who eventually won his case. Long-term disability payments are pooled and divided among the beneficiaries, so the more injured there are, the less each gets paid. Workers report the injury payments are less than Can$250 a month. There is a lifetime cap of Can$10,000 on drug benefits, which means that a number of workers with decades of seniority have used up their allocation. Al Williamson spends Can$200 every three months out of his own pocket.

Williamson, who has worked in the plant for 27 years, said McCain "doesn't want to talk. This is the same as what's happening to the postal workers, too .. I still have to pay [for prescription drugs] while I'm out here, but I'm committed to this strike." He organizes the union members' phone tree.

A number of UFCW members went down to the postal workers picket after the rally. And others joined the postal workers' rally November 24 protesting government threats to legislate CUPW back to work.

Katy LeRougetel is a member of USWA Local 5338 in Toronto. Ted Lenoir contributed to this article.  
 
 
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