After over 40 days on the picket line, about 960 members of UFCW Local 175 who work at Cargill Dunlop in the city of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, ratified a new contract on July 6. With approximately 1,500 head of cattle processed every day at Cargill Dunlop, the members of UFCW Local 175 in the facility are an integral part of the food supply chain in Ontario and beyond.
The new contract for Cargill Dunlop workers includes wage increases totaling $3.75 per hour over the course of the agreement, which includes $2 per hour in the first year. That $2 will be paid retroactively for all hours worked, including overtime, since January 1, 2024. In addition, members will receive a contract renewal incentive payment in the form of a $500 lump sum.
Under the new contract, dental coverage improves to $2,000 per year, and members also benefit from the removal of lifetime caps on a number of dental services. Short Term Disability (STD) now has a maximum of 70 percent and will provide up to $143 more per week. This means members can receive up to $668 per week while on STD leave. Bereavement leave entitlement for members will now be five days, up from four, for the death of a spouse, child, or parent.
This strong, new contract is the result of Cargill Dunlap workers standing together for a better life. The workers at the Cargill Dunlop plant took to the picket lines at 12:01 a.m. on May 27, 2024, after rejecting a previously negotiated settlement by 82 percent. The strike vote, held in April, had 99 percent support from the members. UFCW Canada’s National Defence Fund supported the UFCW Local 175 members on strike at Cargill Dunlop.
“In our union, the power is in the hands of our members through their democratic vote, and the members at Cargill Dunlop used their vote to make their voices heard,” said President of UFCW Local 175 Kelly Tosato. “It is a tough decision to go on strike and it can be an even more difficult decision to end a strike. But these members took a stand against a huge corporation and they should be proud of their strength and courage.”