Even though the union contract stretches to 2027, Olymel has opened it to hike wages in an effort to attract and retain workers at its Quebec hog-packing plants.
Starting wages increase from $17 to $19.20 and hour and after a year of employment increase to $21.20.
The company is in financial straits and has been pressuring the pork marketing board to sharply reduce production by 850,000 hogs after two other reductions in the previous year.
It has also stopped buying hogs from Ontario.
The hog board wants the cuts to be across the board, but Olymel said it needs to run its relatively new and large farms at or near capacity.
