Vol. 72/No. 10      March 10, 2008

The unionists are fighting the company’s attempt to impose a six-year contract and to eliminate the full-time union safety representative. The CEP is also resisting Petro-Canada’s moves to push through a contract that is inferior for workers in Quebec than in the west of Canada.

In December, 50 workers protested at the Jacques-Cartier Bridge to draw attention to their fight. The action exposed the fact that Petro-Canada is operating the refinery under dangerous conditions. Managers have been rotating through 12-hour shifts to keep the refinery operating with some 130 administrative workers.

—Beverly Bernardo

Grocery workers strike in
Long Island, New York
As contract negotiations remained deadlocked, workers in the meat and seafood departments at seven King Kullen supermarkets on New York’s Long Island walked off the job February 17 and picketed in four-hour shifts before returning to work. Workers at five other supermarkets returned to work that day after walking out the previous day.

The 371 meat and seafood handlers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 342 have been working without a contract since October 31. They work at 51 stores owned by King Kullen.

Workers are protesting company attacks on pensions and medical coverage, as well as a two-tier wage system and the removal of protections from layoffs.

—Ved Dookhun  
 
 
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