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.
