Militant/Natalie Stake-Doucet

MONTREAL—About 80 poultry workers, members of the Confederation of National Trade Unions, went on strike here September 13 against Volailles Marvid. The workers, in their majority Haitians, are demanding more hours of work and a higher wage. The union contract expired in December 2003.

The owners of Volailles Marvid, which produces kosher chicken, had added another production line months ago that increased the number of workers but at the same time reduced the workweek to about 20 hours, said pickets. And even the 20 hours are not guaranteed. Working conditions are also a big question. “We walked out to demand sufficient hours but also for better working conditions,” said Kalil Sy, who has worked for two years as a production line butcher. “They are treating us like animals.”

Every Sunday the workers organize a barbecue accompanied by music and singing at the same time as the bosses and their relatives try to do some production. They are pictured above during such an activity on October 17.

—SEBASTIEN DESAUTELS  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home