Cargill plant in High River -- The Canadian Press

By Dori Modney

Union challenges Cargill’s decision to reopen High River plant

May 1, 2020 | 5:11 PM

CALGARY, AB — The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Union, is not happy with the High River processing plant decision to resume operations on Monday, May 4.

As of Tuesday, April 28, there were 759 cases of COVID-19 among the Cargill plant’s 2000 workers, and one worker has died, prompting a temporary closure. As of Friday, May 1, there were 921 COVID-19 cases associated with the Cargill plant.

On April 29, Cargill announced the High River facility, which was deemed an essential service, would restart with one shift and that additional safety measures would be taken.

Those measures include limiting access to the plant to no more than two people per car, with one sitting in the front and one in the back.

Buses with protective barriers are also being provided to reduce the need for carpooling to work. The company also said barriers have been added in bathrooms and lockers have been reassigned to allow for enough spacing.

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On Friday, May 1, the UFCW issued a news release, indicating it would be seeking a stop work order from Alberta Occupational Health and Safety and filed an Unfair Labour Practice Complaint, naming both Cargill and the Government of Alberta as respondents.

Thomas Hesse, the UFCW Local 401 President, issued a statement which read (in part),

UFCW Local 401 President, Thomas Hesse, has issued the following statements on the union’s legal moves:

“Cargill and the Government of Alberta have ignored our calls for a worker-centred approach to ensuring the plant is safe. Alberta Health Services inspection reports have not been shared with us, and Occupational Health and Safety inspections have omitted the serious concerns we have raised.

The whole point of having a union is for powerful, unqualified representation. One of the reasons that unions exist is to promote and defend the right to workplace health and safety.

It is our objective and role to use every legal avenue available to us to keep the Cargill High River plant closed until we are able to ensure the safety of workers employed there and that their voices have been heard.”

The UFCW filed an Unfair Labour Practice Complaint against Cargill and the Alberta Government, seeking 13 changes, including the following:

— that the government appoint an independent and out-of-Province investigator to interview a substantial number of employees,

— An order than Cargill not resume production,

— A Union representive be on site to obseerve when production resumes.

— Cargill is to report to the Union daily,

— the Union and employees be provided damages.

Cargill has not responded.