Workers at the smallest of Manitoba’s four main hog processors remained out on strike early this week after walking off the job July 2.
Jack Forgan Meats has been closed ever since and about 1,000 hogs a day have had to find a new home for slaughter.
Manitoba Pork, the agency that handles about 80 percent of hogs in the province, has been sending them to other plants in the province.
“It’s not having a negative impact on prices or the flow of things,” said sales manager Perry Mohr.
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“Everything is pretty much business as usual, with the exception of the fact the hogs are being slaughtered elsewhere.”
The 110 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union who work at Jack Forgan Meats voted in favor of the strike after contract talks broke down over wages.
Union president Bernard Christophe said the two sides remained far apart during negotiations through a government conciliation officer. He said workers have had only three raises in the past 10 years, and their wages have fallen behind other meat packers in Winnipeg.
Wages an issue
The union’s last offer was an 80-cent raise during each of the next two years. The company offered a 21-cent increase.
The union also wants the company to contribute more to pension and dental plans, the cost of safety boots and training.
“The company simply is saying no,” said Christophe.
“And until they start saying yes, no settlement is possible. So the strike will continue, and may continue for a very long time, until the management comes to their senses.”
Sheldon Forgan, head of the company, did not talk to reporters last week. Christophe said he thinks Forgan was surprised by the strike.
“I think he misread what we were telling him. He underestimated the resolve of his employees.”
