Thursday, August 26, 2021

Quebec labour minister calls for Olymel settlement


Quebec Labour Minister Jean Boulet said Wednesday on Twitter that he has called a meeting with management and labour leaders in hopes of putting an end to the strike at the Olymel pork packing plant that has been ongoing since the end of April.


Boulet’s move comes after the workers voted 57 per cent against a tentative deal, then Olymel threatened to reduce slaughterhouse operations and eliminate more than 500 jobs by the end of Aug. 29 if the union doesn’t accept an agreement.

The plant employs about 1,000 workers. Quebec’s hog marketing board said a deal is needed soon, else about 150,000 market-ready hogs may be euthanized.