The Pollen Group which owns Superior Poultry is the largest poultry producer in British Columbia and owns three other plants, of which only one is unionized.

An attempt to organize Superior Poultry in 1992 failed after the company fired 30 union supporters. In 1999, 70 per cent of the workers signed up with the United Food and Commercial Workers. Most workers at the plant are from the Punjab in India or other countries in Asia. A majority are women. After months of fruitless negotiations, the workers went on strike in July 2000. During the walkout some 60 of the 225 workers crossed the picket line.

Nearly nine months after the strike began, the company applied for compulsory arbitration. In April 2001, the arbitrator imposed a contract with pay increases, although wages remained at a much lower level than at other unionized poultry plants.

The company continued its antiunion drive, however, first by hiring about 30 new workers who were related to or were friends of those who had crossed the picket line. The bosses refused to recognize seniority in job postings and shifts. Newly hired workers were given easier jobs on the production line while union supporters were assigned to the live-hang area. The shop stewards filed around 20 grievances, none of which were resolved.

Finally the company was successful in getting more than 45 per cent of the workers to apply for a decertification vote, the percentage required in law. The vote was lost by the narrowest of margins by the union supporters.

Joe Young is a meat packer in Langley, British Columbia.  
 
 
Front page (for this issue) | Home | Text-version home