Alberta hog producers may be forced to search for a new slaughter plant for their hogs next week if workers follow through with their plan to go on strike at the Maple Leaf plant in Edmonton.
The Alberta Food and Commercial workers Union Local 312A announced its workers will start a strike Nov. 17 in an effort to restart negotiations with the company. The workers have been in a legal strike position for several weeks.
Company position unchanged
Linda Smith, a spokesperson for Maple Leaf, said the company position is the same. If the workers strike, the company has said it will close the plant for good.
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Key pieces of processing equipment will be removed and the plant will not reopen, nor will the company reopen negotiations with the union, she said.
Smith said even if the plant closes, the company is interested in buying producers’ hogs.
Competition watching
A spokesperson for competitor Fletcher’s Fine Foods said the company will see what happens with the strike before deciding whether to gear up its central Alberta plant to take more hogs.
Because it takes several weeks to hire staff and prepare an extra production shift, Greg Whalley, vice-president of corporate affairs, said Fletcher’s won’t increase production until it knows if the Edmonton plant will be closed for good.
