Cargill workers in High River to strike unless demands are met: Union

The union representing Cargill workers in High River says its members will go on strike unless its demands are met by Dec. 6.

A formal notice was delivered by UFCW Local 401 on Wednesday to the company, which followed members voting 97 per cent in favour of the action.

The union says nearly 80 per cent of eligible voters turned out to vote.

“President (Thomas) Hesse set out the tragedy of Cargill workers in the national media over and over again when COVID-19 ravaged the Plant,” the union said in a statement.

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“Hesse’s efforts resulted in millions of Canadians coming to understand and express their sympathy for Cargill workers.”

The union says the picket line will be highly visible and may include places that sell Cargill products such as McDonald’s.

“Cargill is big, and they are bad. But the voice of the workers will be heard. We are not afraid.”

In a statement to CityNews, Cargill says negotiations are ongoing and they remain optimistic that everyone can come to the table and reach an agreement.