At Fletcher's Fine Foods, 400 UFCW members have been locked out for more than four months after refusing to accept the company's demands for deep concessions, including a wage cut of nearly 40 percent. At Christmas, pickets organized parties on the line.

Members of UFCW Local 2000 at Grimm's Fine Foods, a plant owned by the same company as Fletcher's, presented pickets with an oversized Christmas card to give holiday greetings of solidarity.

A large sign at the Fletcher's picket line reads, "We want, we need our holiday pay!" The company is withholding the holiday pay that it owes from the past year. Workers explained that the company has offered to pay up on condition that the unionists stop their leafleting campaign at grocery stores. The leaflets, which members have distributed at all major stores, ask consumers to boycott the company's products.

"It's another threat," said a worker from the packaging department. Referring to company claims that the leafleting campaign is having no affect, he added, "Why would they try to get us to stop if it wasn't hurting them?" A number of picketers said they are willing to carry their struggle well into the new year, and that they would "never go back in there for $10." The company is seeking to cut the current basic pay rate of $16.50 down to $10.

Strikers at Superior Poultry also remain determined in their battle for improved wages. The 225 workers voted overwhelmingly to join the UFCW last year, and are fighting for their first contract. They have been on strike since July 23. Wages at the plant start at the province's minimum of $7.15.

On November 30 at a conference of the British Columbia Federation of Labour, a "hot edict" was declared on Superior Poultry products.

The edict gives union members the right to refuse to handle the company's products. No "hot edict" was declared on Fletcher's products.

Derrick O'Keefe is a member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 2000.  
 
 
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