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Showing posts sorted by relevance for query CARGILL. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query CARGILL. Sort by date Show all posts
Thursday, April 23, 2020
Saturday, November 27, 2021
It’s High Noon for Canadian Beef in Cargill Showdown With Union
Jen Skerritt
Fri, November 26, 2021
(Bloomberg) -- U.S. meatpacking giant Cargill Inc. and union workers at one of Canada’s biggest beef plants are bracing for a showdown, with talks early next week offering up a chance to break a labor impasse that threatens to upend the country’s meat supply.Cargill is scheduled to meet union representatives from its beef processing plant in High River, Alberta on Tuesday in what’s likely to be a final attempt to reach a deal on a new labor contract for about 2,000 workers. The stakes are high: Cargill’s facility accounts for roughly 40% of Canadian beef processing capacity, so any threats of a strike or lockout could disrupt the nation’s meat supply when beef prices are already soaring amid supply chain snags.Cargill’s last offer included a 19% wage hike over the course of the five-year contract, plus a one-time C$1,200 ($940) bonus. That was rejected on Nov. 24 by workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union Local 401. The union has since said the plant workers will go on strike at 12:01 a.m. on Dec. 6 unless a deal can be reached. Cargill responded with the threat of locking out employees on that date, and shifting production to other facilities to avoid disruption.
“We’ve both reached the end,’’ Scott Payne, a spokesman for UFCW Local 401, said in an interview. “It’s their final flex of muscle, saying we either get a deal next week or we’re locking you out.’’The labor dispute comes about a year after a massive Covid-19 outbreak at the High River plant sickened nearly half of the facility’s 2,000 staff and led to disruptions across the Canadian meat supply chain. The spread of infections led to the facility’s temporary closure, leaving thousands of cows awaiting slaughter on farms and prompting McDonald’s Corp.’s Canadian unit to start importing beef to meet its needs.
Meat plants in Canada and the U.S. became hot spots for Covid-19 last year as outbreaks forced the closure of some of the biggest slaughterhouses. Employees work in close proximity on some processing lines, sometimes described as “elbow-to-elbow.”
Workers ``have just been through hell’’ and are pushing Cargill to put forward an offer acknowledging that, Payne said. He said Cargill will probably have a difficult time finding replacement workers in the event of a stoppage as the meat processing jobs require special training and Cargill is already having difficulty attracting new staff.Workers across North America have been able to get the upper hand in labor negotiations as businesses struggle to recruit staff just as economies are reopening and recovering from a pandemic slump. A four-week strike at Deere & Co.’s U.S. plants ended earlier this month after about 10,000 unionized workers accepted a contract that boosted pay and retirement benefits.For Cargill’s High River plant workers, company spokesman Dan Sullivan says its current offer is five times higher than the industry standard. “We remain determined and hopeful that we can reach an agreement during this period,” he said.
Media Release: NFU solidarity with workers at Cargill’s High River beef packing plant
Tee Pee Creek, AB – The National Farmers Union (NFU) is concerned that the lockout notice issued by Cargill Foods at its beef processing plant in High River has the potential to hurt workers, ranchers and consumers.
“Given the record profitability of beef processors over recent months, the wage increase being offered by Cargill is derisory at best,” said Iain Aitken, cattle rancher at Belmont, MB. “We support workers' attempts to achieve better working conditions and fairer pay for the difficult and dangerous work they undertake, which was exposed by the April 2020 Covid outbreak when nearly half the plant’s workforce was infected and two workers, Benito Quesada and Hiep Bui, tragically lost their lives.”
“The NFU stands in solidarity with the UFCW workers at Cargill’s High River plant and supports their right to negotiate a fair wage and benefits in exchange for their labour,” said Neil Peacock, who raises cattle in the Peace River region of Alberta.
“We are worried that failure to reach an agreement by the December 6th deadline has the potential to wreak further havoc on cattle operations already struggling financially as a result of drought and skyrocketing feed costs” added Aitken. “Any interruption of beef processing at the plant will cause another backlog of slaughter cattle to build up in the feedlots, plummeting cattle prices and risk of store shelves being empty.”
“This dispute, along with the temporary shutdown of the plant due to Covid in 2020, highlights the problems in the food processing sector of our nation and the potential harm to our food sovereignty and food security,” Peacock added. “Concentration of the beef packing sector has not only led to depressed wages for plant workers but also depressed prices to Canada's farmers and feeders -- while Canadian consumers pay high prices at the super market.”
“Once again this highlights the systemic weakness that corporate concentration has created, whereby one processing plant handles more than 30% of the national beef cattle kill. We need more smaller-scale, local processing capacity across the country to mitigate the risks so clearly demonstrated here,” said Aitken.
The NFU asks that Canadians support the workers right to negotiate a fair deal and asks that Canadians contact their elected representatives to take a hard look at the concentration of power within our agriculture food sector.
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**Translation supported by Heritage Canada
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Communiqué de presse: Solidarité de l’UNF avec les travailleurs et les travailleuses de l’usine de transformation du bœuf de Cargill, à High River
Tee Pee Creek, AB – L’Union nationale des fermiers (UNF) est préoccupée que le préavis de lock-out émis par Cargill Foods à son usine de transformation du bœuf, de High River, a le potentiel de nuire aux travailleurs, aux éleveurs et aux consommateurs.
« Étant donné la profitabilité record des transformateurs de bœuf au cours des derniers mois, l’augmentation salariale offerte par Cargill est vraiment dérisoire, » expliquait Iain Aitken, un éleveur de bovins à Belmont, MB. « Nous appuyons les tentatives des travailleurs et travailleuses d’obtenir de meilleures conditions de travail et un meilleur salaire en échange pour le travail difficile et dangereux qu’ils font, et qui furent exposés à l’épidémie de Covid en avril 2020, alors que presque la moitié de la main-d’œuvre fut infectée et que deux travailleurs, Benito Quesada et Hiep Bui, ont tragiquement perdu leurs vies. »
« L’UNF est solidaire avec les travailleurs et travailleuses des TUAC à l’usine Cargill, à High River, et elle appuie leurs droits de négocier un salaire équitable et de bons avantages en échange pour leur travail, » déclarait Neil Peacock, qui élève du bétail dans la région de Peace River, en Alberta.
« Nous sommes préoccupés que l’impossibilité d’en arriver à un accord d’ici la date limite du 6 décembre a le potentiel de faire des ravages additionnels dans les exploitations bovines, qui font déjà face à des difficultés financières causées par la sécheresse et la montée en flèche des coûts de l’alimentation des animaux, » ajoutait Aitken.
« Toute interruption de la transformation du bœuf à cette usine va causer un autre retard et l’accumulation de bovins dans les parcs d’engraissement, une chute des prix du bétail et le risque que les tablettes des magasins soient vides. »
« Cette dispute, ainsi que la fermeture temporaire de l’usine à cause de la Covid en 2020, met en évidence les problèmes dans le secteur de la transformation des aliments de notre nation et le tort potentiel à notre souveraineté alimentaire et à notre sécurité alimentaire, » ajoutait Peacock. « La concentration du secteur de la transformation du bœuf a non seulement mené à des salaires inférieurs pour les travailleurs et travailleuses de l’usine, mais aussi à la réduction des prix aux fermiers et aux éleveurs du Canada – tout cela alors que les consommateurs canadiens payent des prix plus élevés au supermarché. »
« Une fois de plus, cela souligne la faiblesse systémique créée par la concentration dans les mains des grandes entreprises, alors qu’une usine de transformation à elle seule gère plus de 30 % de l’abattage national des bovins de boucherie. Il nous faut des capacités de transformation locales et à petite échelle à travers le pays afin d’atténuer les risques si clairement démontrés ici, » déclarait Aitken.
L’UNF demande aux Canadiens et aux Canadiennes d’appuyer le droit des travailleurs de négocier une entente équitable, en plus de demander à nos concitoyens et concitoyennes de contacter leurs élus et leur demander d’examiner de près la concentration du pouvoir au sein de notre secteur agro-alimentaire.
- 30 -
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Monday, May 04, 2020
BACKGROUNDER
Coronavirus: Employee at Cargill plant died within days of feeling ill, union says another is critical
BY JILL CROTEAU GLOBAL NEWS April 22, 2020
WATCH: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/8b4adef2-842e-11ea-89d4-0242ac110004/?jwsource=cl
New details are emerging, along with calls for action, in light of the COVID-19 death of an employee at the Cargill meat plant. Some say the shut down didn’t come soon e
The woman in her late 60s who worked at the Cargill meat plant and died from COVID-19 commuted daily to High River from her home in Calgary.
When she left work on Thursday, nobody knew it would be her last shift.
READ MORE: 1 death connected to Cargill meat plant in High River as plant ‘idles’ processes
Community organizations working with Cargill employees shared more details with Global News.
Marichu Antonio, executive director for ActionDignity, said the woman called in sick on Friday, was rushed to hospital on Saturday and passed away Sunday evening.
Out of respect for the family, the group isn’t releasing names. The woman’s husband is grieving and showing symptoms of the virus.
“We are helping him look for affordable funeral service and taking care of that,” Antonio said.
“Also making sure he’s OK and his health is OK and he has the food he needs.”
Coronavirus: Employee at Cargill plant died within days of feeling ill, union says another is critical
BY JILL CROTEAU GLOBAL NEWS April 22, 2020
WATCH: https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/8b4adef2-842e-11ea-89d4-0242ac110004/?jwsource=cl
New details are emerging, along with calls for action, in light of the COVID-19 death of an employee at the Cargill meat plant. Some say the shut down didn’t come soon e
The woman in her late 60s who worked at the Cargill meat plant and died from COVID-19 commuted daily to High River from her home in Calgary.
When she left work on Thursday, nobody knew it would be her last shift.
READ MORE: 1 death connected to Cargill meat plant in High River as plant ‘idles’ processes
Community organizations working with Cargill employees shared more details with Global News.
Marichu Antonio, executive director for ActionDignity, said the woman called in sick on Friday, was rushed to hospital on Saturday and passed away Sunday evening.
Out of respect for the family, the group isn’t releasing names. The woman’s husband is grieving and showing symptoms of the virus.
“We are helping him look for affordable funeral service and taking care of that,” Antonio said.
“Also making sure he’s OK and his health is OK and he has the food he needs.”
WATCH
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/7af694f6-8366-11ea-a872-0242ac110002/?jwsource=cl
Cargill meat plant temporarily closing amid COVID-19 outbreak Cargill meat plant temporarily closing amid COVID-19 outbreak
The organization is not only supporting this family but others who have been displaced with the temporary closure of the plant. Staff and volunteers are guiding them through employee benefits and accessing resources.
“We have a resource package in different languages and videos so they can see what is the most effective way of taking care of their health,” Antonio said.
“They are worried — worried about employment status, not sure if they’ll be re-hired now that the plant is closed and they are worried about their health — some have children already infected and showing signs of the virus.”
READ MORE: Union says staff at 2nd Alberta meat plant scared of COVID-19, not showing up to work
Thomas Hesse, president of UFCW Local 401, said another worker is fighting for his life. The man in his 50s worked at the Cargill plant and came to Canada for a better life for himself and his family.
“He is in a medically induced coma and is on a ventilator in a Calgary hospital,” Hesse said.
“His family is traumatized.”
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/7af694f6-8366-11ea-a872-0242ac110002/?jwsource=cl
Cargill meat plant temporarily closing amid COVID-19 outbreak Cargill meat plant temporarily closing amid COVID-19 outbreak
The organization is not only supporting this family but others who have been displaced with the temporary closure of the plant. Staff and volunteers are guiding them through employee benefits and accessing resources.
“We have a resource package in different languages and videos so they can see what is the most effective way of taking care of their health,” Antonio said.
“They are worried — worried about employment status, not sure if they’ll be re-hired now that the plant is closed and they are worried about their health — some have children already infected and showing signs of the virus.”
READ MORE: Union says staff at 2nd Alberta meat plant scared of COVID-19, not showing up to work
Thomas Hesse, president of UFCW Local 401, said another worker is fighting for his life. The man in his 50s worked at the Cargill plant and came to Canada for a better life for himself and his family.
“He is in a medically induced coma and is on a ventilator in a Calgary hospital,” Hesse said.
“His family is traumatized.”
The Official Opposition is expressing concerns about how the outbreak at the plant was handled, questioning whether it came far too late. NDP leader Rachel Notley said concerns were raised days ago about close contact with coworkers and not having adequate protection.
“To run around and assure people they were safe is profoundly irresponsible. These people are human beings, they have families and it’s shocking they were allowed to put workers at risk.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Where Alberta’s COVID-19 outbreaks are
While appearing on The Ryan Jespersen Show on 630 CHED on Wednesday morning, Notley doubled down on her comments.
“The breakdown is absolutely at Jason Kenney’s cabinet table,” she said.
“This is a government that, honestly, thinks that some people and some industries are worth more than the lives of other people.”
Notley says she told labour and health officials that inspections at the Cargill plant needed to be stepped up on March 6. She told 630 CHED that she’s horrified that the inspection that was performed was a video inspection, shot by Cargill representatives.
“A video inspection is the most negligent example of that work that I’ve ever seen in my career and I used to do this work before I go into politics.”
Cargill has not responded to questions from Global News about the video inspection.
LISTEN BELOW: Rachel Notley joins The Ryan Jespersen Show
In a statement, Adrienne South, press secretary to Alberta’s minister of labour and immigration, said the inspection was not a video delivered to Occupational Health and Safety.
“It was a live inspection and fully interactive, with the inspector directing movement as required,” she said. “Video is also recorded so that the OHS official can go back and review and follow up if required.”
Video conferencing was also used during the inspection, she added, to “mitigate the risk of exposure of all parties.”
Alberta Health said Tuesday there are 401 COVID-19 cases in workers from the Cargill meat-processing plant, and 515 total cases have been linked to that outbreak.
“There is a dedicated team working on reducing spread, with particular attention to households that may not have the resources or space for self-isolation to happen,” the province said in a news release.
Government officials said a team responded as soon as they learned of the outbreak.
Spokesperson Steve Buick said Alberta Health also supported the company in its enhanced safety protocols.
“This is a complex issue,” Buick said. “Individual companies can make their own decisions regarding their operations, as they did in this case.”
Cargill did not respond to Global News’ requests for comment.
“When we exempted Cargill, that should have been paired with very aggressive health and safety inspection and regular monitoring, and if that would have been done from the beginning, we could have avoided the shutdown,” Notley said on Tuesday.
“To run around and assure people they were safe is profoundly irresponsible. These people are human beings, they have families and it’s shocking they were allowed to put workers at risk.”
READ MORE: Coronavirus: Where Alberta’s COVID-19 outbreaks are
While appearing on The Ryan Jespersen Show on 630 CHED on Wednesday morning, Notley doubled down on her comments.
“The breakdown is absolutely at Jason Kenney’s cabinet table,” she said.
“This is a government that, honestly, thinks that some people and some industries are worth more than the lives of other people.”
Notley says she told labour and health officials that inspections at the Cargill plant needed to be stepped up on March 6. She told 630 CHED that she’s horrified that the inspection that was performed was a video inspection, shot by Cargill representatives.
“A video inspection is the most negligent example of that work that I’ve ever seen in my career and I used to do this work before I go into politics.”
Cargill has not responded to questions from Global News about the video inspection.
LISTEN BELOW: Rachel Notley joins The Ryan Jespersen Show
In a statement, Adrienne South, press secretary to Alberta’s minister of labour and immigration, said the inspection was not a video delivered to Occupational Health and Safety.
“It was a live inspection and fully interactive, with the inspector directing movement as required,” she said. “Video is also recorded so that the OHS official can go back and review and follow up if required.”
Video conferencing was also used during the inspection, she added, to “mitigate the risk of exposure of all parties.”
Alberta Health said Tuesday there are 401 COVID-19 cases in workers from the Cargill meat-processing plant, and 515 total cases have been linked to that outbreak.
“There is a dedicated team working on reducing spread, with particular attention to households that may not have the resources or space for self-isolation to happen,” the province said in a news release.
Government officials said a team responded as soon as they learned of the outbreak.
Spokesperson Steve Buick said Alberta Health also supported the company in its enhanced safety protocols.
“This is a complex issue,” Buick said. “Individual companies can make their own decisions regarding their operations, as they did in this case.”
Cargill did not respond to Global News’ requests for comment.
AHS to set up dedicated COVID-19 assessment centre at Cargill meat plant AHS to set up dedicated COVID-19 assessment centre at Cargill meat plant
Speaking to Global News Morning Calgary on Wednesday , High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass said the pandemic is “not a joke.”
“It’s not a hoax. It’s still a struggle for me to get that through to some people,” Snodgrass added. “We’re seeing now how fast this thing can spread and go haywire on you, so you have to take it seriously.
“It comes right down to the individual level, as to making sure that you’re taking the proper precautions and you’re being responsible for your own actions.”
“We’ve got to be more serious about this."
Speaking to Global News Morning Calgary on Wednesday , High River Mayor Craig Snodgrass said the pandemic is “not a joke.”
“It’s not a hoax. It’s still a struggle for me to get that through to some people,” Snodgrass added. “We’re seeing now how fast this thing can spread and go haywire on you, so you have to take it seriously.
“It comes right down to the individual level, as to making sure that you’re taking the proper precautions and you’re being responsible for your own actions.”
“We’ve got to be more serious about this."
How the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting High River
WATCH
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/8208a338-84ab-11ea-8d34-0242ac110005/?jwsource=cl
– With files from Kirby Bourne, 630 CHED
WATCH
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/8208a338-84ab-11ea-8d34-0242ac110005/?jwsource=cl
– With files from Kirby Bourne, 630 CHED
Thursday, April 23, 2020
OHS investigating Canada's largest COVID-19 outbreak at meat plant after worker's death
580 cases of coronavirus linked to Cargill meat-processing plant south of Calgary
Sarah Rieger · CBC News · Posted: Apr 22, 2020
Alberta's deputy minister of labour said investigations into both plants have been opened by OHS, and said there will be no further comment until the investigations are complete.
The union brought the first 38 cases of COVID-19 at the plant to the attention of media on April 13, as some employees at the facility accused the company of ignoring physical-distancing protocols and trying to lure them back to work from self-isolation.
Two days later, an inspector from the provincial Occupational Health and Safety — which has a mandate to ensure Alberta workplaces are operating in a way that is healthy and safe for employees — conducted an inspection from a remote location via a live video call.
OHS deemed the plant safe to remain open.
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Cargill meat processing plant in High River, Alta., has forced the facility to temporarily close, raising concerns about beef prices and supply. 3:03
Thomas Hesse, president of UFCW Local 401, which represents workers at the plant, called for the facility to close weeks ago and has since called for an inquiry into the worker's death.
"Nobody wants to eat a hamburger that somebody had to die to produce," said Hesse.
What led to Alberta's biggest outbreak? Cargill meat plant's hundreds of COVID-19 cases
In addition to an OHS fatality inquiry, the union has called for an independent investigation into Cargill, and the Alberta Federation of Labour has asked for a criminal investigation.
"It hits home on a personal level, but it also makes me very, very angry because from our perspective, this is a fatality that could have been avoided," Gil McGowan, president of the AFL said.
McGowan said it has been difficult to get updates, as he said the government and OHS are only communicating with the company, not the workers or union.
RCMP said it does not have an open investigation into the worker's death at this time.
Many workers at Cargill are members of a tight-knit Filipino community, who live in large households and carpool to work together.
Workers fear for their job security, safetyCalgarian Cesar Cala Cala, a volunteer with the Philippines Emergency Response Taskforce, said some workers feel they are being unfairly blamed for the outbreak — and are deeply concerned about their job security and safety.
"Is the plant a safe place to work? And then are their jobs secure? Many of the temporary foreign workers, their stay in Canada is based on their work visa connected to Cargill," he said.
Watch Workers raised concerns about Alberta meat processing plant closed by COVID-19 outbreak
Employees at the Cargill meat processing plant raised concerns about public health measures not being followed two weeks before a COVID-19 outbreak forced the plant to close
AHS has a dedicated task force of 200 workers responding to the outbreak, and translation services are being used to communicate with workers and their families who speak English as a second language.
Five employees at Seasons Retirement Communities in High River have now also tested positive for COVID-19; three of whom are married to meat-packing workers at Cargill.
Why Alberta's Filipino community has been hit particularly hard by this pandemic. 8:30
On Wednesday, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the majority of Cargill workers who have tested positive live in Calgary, and commute to High River.
He said earlier in the week, city flags were lowered to half mast to mark the victims of the Nova Scotia killings, and said those flags will remain lowered to memorialize the victims of COVID-19.
"That is a reminder that our neighbours have died. People in our community have died," he said.
Premier Jason Kenney said Wednesday the JBS plant will remain open with necessary health and safety precautions in place as long as health officials say it is safe to do so, as it's important to maintain the country's food supply.
There are now 3,401 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, and 66 people have died. Just over 17 per cent of cases in the province are linked to the Cargill outbreak.
The National Farmer's Union said in an emailed release that the sites of the two outbreaks represent 85 per cent of Canada's total beef supply.
"Farmers need emergency support so we can take care of our livestock until the plants ramp up again. Health and safety come first, but you can't tell the cows to stop eating and growing until the crisis is over," said Ian Robson, an NFU board member, in an emailed release.
With files from Erin Collins, Charlotte Dumoulin, Carolyn Dunn and Colleen Underwood
https://plawiuk.blogspot.com/search?q=OHS
580 cases of coronavirus linked to Cargill meat-processing plant south of Calgary
Sarah Rieger · CBC News · Posted: Apr 22, 2020
The Cargill meat-packing plant near High River, Alta., is the site of a COVID-19 outbreak that has led to hundreds of confirmed cases. (Charlotte Dumoulin/Radio-Canada)
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating two outbreaks of COVID-19 at Alberta meat-processing plants, one of which is the largest outbreak linked to a single site in Canada.
There are now 580 cases linked to the outbreak at the Cargill facility near High River, 440 of whom are Cargill employees.
One worker, a woman of Vietnamese background in her sixties, has died. Her husband is also sick and is being treated in hospital. The facility said Monday it would temporarily shut down as soon as it finished processing the meat already in the plant.
Health and safety inspection of Alberta meat plant linked to 515 COVID-19 cases was done by video call
Another Alberta meat plant experiencing an outbreak, JBS in Brooks, remains open but production has been reduced to one shift. There are now 96 cases linked to that plant.
A worker at JBS has died, as well as another person in the community, and Alberta Health Services is investigating to confirm if those deaths are due to the COVID-19 outbreak at the plant.
Alberta Occupational Health and Safety is investigating two outbreaks of COVID-19 at Alberta meat-processing plants, one of which is the largest outbreak linked to a single site in Canada.
There are now 580 cases linked to the outbreak at the Cargill facility near High River, 440 of whom are Cargill employees.
One worker, a woman of Vietnamese background in her sixties, has died. Her husband is also sick and is being treated in hospital. The facility said Monday it would temporarily shut down as soon as it finished processing the meat already in the plant.
Health and safety inspection of Alberta meat plant linked to 515 COVID-19 cases was done by video call
Another Alberta meat plant experiencing an outbreak, JBS in Brooks, remains open but production has been reduced to one shift. There are now 96 cases linked to that plant.
A worker at JBS has died, as well as another person in the community, and Alberta Health Services is investigating to confirm if those deaths are due to the COVID-19 outbreak at the plant.
Nobody wants to eat a hamburger that somebody had to die to produce.- Thomas Hesse, UFCW Local 401
Alberta's deputy minister of labour said investigations into both plants have been opened by OHS, and said there will be no further comment until the investigations are complete.
The union brought the first 38 cases of COVID-19 at the plant to the attention of media on April 13, as some employees at the facility accused the company of ignoring physical-distancing protocols and trying to lure them back to work from self-isolation.
Two days later, an inspector from the provincial Occupational Health and Safety — which has a mandate to ensure Alberta workplaces are operating in a way that is healthy and safe for employees — conducted an inspection from a remote location via a live video call.
OHS deemed the plant safe to remain open.
A COVID-19 outbreak at the Cargill meat processing plant in High River, Alta., has forced the facility to temporarily close, raising concerns about beef prices and supply. 3:03
Thomas Hesse, president of UFCW Local 401, which represents workers at the plant, called for the facility to close weeks ago and has since called for an inquiry into the worker's death.
"Nobody wants to eat a hamburger that somebody had to die to produce," said Hesse.
What led to Alberta's biggest outbreak? Cargill meat plant's hundreds of COVID-19 cases
In addition to an OHS fatality inquiry, the union has called for an independent investigation into Cargill, and the Alberta Federation of Labour has asked for a criminal investigation.
"It hits home on a personal level, but it also makes me very, very angry because from our perspective, this is a fatality that could have been avoided," Gil McGowan, president of the AFL said.
McGowan said it has been difficult to get updates, as he said the government and OHS are only communicating with the company, not the workers or union.
RCMP said it does not have an open investigation into the worker's death at this time.
Many workers at Cargill are members of a tight-knit Filipino community, who live in large households and carpool to work together.
Workers fear for their job security, safetyCalgarian Cesar Cala Cala, a volunteer with the Philippines Emergency Response Taskforce, said some workers feel they are being unfairly blamed for the outbreak — and are deeply concerned about their job security and safety.
"Is the plant a safe place to work? And then are their jobs secure? Many of the temporary foreign workers, their stay in Canada is based on their work visa connected to Cargill," he said.
Watch Workers raised concerns about Alberta meat processing plant closed by COVID-19 outbreak
Employees at the Cargill meat processing plant raised concerns about public health measures not being followed two weeks before a COVID-19 outbreak forced the plant to close
People of colour are over-represented in the meat processing industry, according to an economist, and census data shows those in the industry make less than the average industrial wage.
AHS has a dedicated task force of 200 workers responding to the outbreak, and translation services are being used to communicate with workers and their families who speak English as a second language.
Five employees at Seasons Retirement Communities in High River have now also tested positive for COVID-19; three of whom are married to meat-packing workers at Cargill.
Why Alberta's Filipino community has been hit particularly hard by this pandemic. 8:30
On Wednesday, Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the majority of Cargill workers who have tested positive live in Calgary, and commute to High River.
He said earlier in the week, city flags were lowered to half mast to mark the victims of the Nova Scotia killings, and said those flags will remain lowered to memorialize the victims of COVID-19.
"That is a reminder that our neighbours have died. People in our community have died," he said.
Premier Jason Kenney said Wednesday the JBS plant will remain open with necessary health and safety precautions in place as long as health officials say it is safe to do so, as it's important to maintain the country's food supply.
There are now 3,401 cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, and 66 people have died. Just over 17 per cent of cases in the province are linked to the Cargill outbreak.
The National Farmer's Union said in an emailed release that the sites of the two outbreaks represent 85 per cent of Canada's total beef supply.
"Farmers need emergency support so we can take care of our livestock until the plants ramp up again. Health and safety come first, but you can't tell the cows to stop eating and growing until the crisis is over," said Ian Robson, an NFU board member, in an emailed release.
With files from Erin Collins, Charlotte Dumoulin, Carolyn Dunn and Colleen Underwood
Southern Alberta Filipino community ‘worried for our lives’ as members test positive for COVID-19
BY JILL CROTEAU GLOBAL NEWS April 22, 2020
WATCH: The workers at a Cargill meat plant in Alberta -- and their families -- are no doubt on edge, and have been for weeks. The novel coronavirus has significantly impacted the Filipino community in the area because many are employed at the plant and have tested positive. Jill Croteau reports.
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/2da4dd7e-84f7-11ea-9793-0242ac110003/?jwsource=cl
Jocelyn Ruiz and her family came to Canada from the Philippines for a better life, one with more opportunity and hope. But she said her future has felt a little more uncertain with the spread of COVID-19. Both she and her husband and two other adults living in her High River home tested positive for the virus.
“Am I going to die? How about my family and my children?” Ruiz said.TWEET THIS
“I was so scared, I was so very fearful, that anxiety and depression came in and I have to fight it with positive thoughts. There are a lot of people who survive it and I want to be one of those.”
READ MORE: Alberta sees 5 more COVID-19 deaths, 1st case on First Nation
They have all been isolating for over 2 weeks in their High River home and are in recovery. Ruiz is relieved the Cargill processing plant shut down. Her husband’s cousin who rents a room downstairs works at Cargill, and he and his wife got infected by the virus. He was the first to show symptoms.
“The guy living with us works with Cargill and it was from his job. There is no social distancing at all, so what happened is, it came from his work and it was brought to the household. That’s based on my experience. It’s not from the household going to the company. No,” Ruiz said.
She said multiple people living in one household is common within the Filipino community because they are supporting each other as they get settled in a new country.
“We are helping them, some of them are renting a house say seven of them will rent together, not everyone can afford a house,” Ruiz said.
READ MORE: Albertans struggling to return home from the Philippines amid COVID-19
The coronavirus has hit the Filipino community particularly hard. Elma Ton also lives with someone who tested positive, another employee at Cargill.
“I have a renter. He received his swab test results and it came back positive so it’s been stressful. We are all emotional with what is happening right now,” Ton said. “We feel we are helpless.”
“Every household that I know with a Filipino, there is somebody tested positive in every household that I know.
Ton’s husband works at the meat processing plant too, and is concerned about him returning to work.
“I’m worried for my children, especially my eldest one, because she has high blood pressure,” Ton said. “We are all worried for our lives.”
The union supporting the 2000 workers at the Cargill plant said more needs to be done to reassure families when they return to work. Thomas Hesse, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) President, is advocating for them to be heard.
“No one should have to die for us to eat a hamburger,” Hesse said
“These plants are petri dishes of infection; where hundreds if not thousands are working in close proximity. It has its origin, we believe, in these crowded plants.
BY JILL CROTEAU GLOBAL NEWS April 22, 2020
WATCH: The workers at a Cargill meat plant in Alberta -- and their families -- are no doubt on edge, and have been for weeks. The novel coronavirus has significantly impacted the Filipino community in the area because many are employed at the plant and have tested positive. Jill Croteau reports.
https://globalnews.ca/video/rd/2da4dd7e-84f7-11ea-9793-0242ac110003/?jwsource=cl
Jocelyn Ruiz and her family came to Canada from the Philippines for a better life, one with more opportunity and hope. But she said her future has felt a little more uncertain with the spread of COVID-19. Both she and her husband and two other adults living in her High River home tested positive for the virus.
“Am I going to die? How about my family and my children?” Ruiz said.TWEET THIS
“I was so scared, I was so very fearful, that anxiety and depression came in and I have to fight it with positive thoughts. There are a lot of people who survive it and I want to be one of those.”
READ MORE: Alberta sees 5 more COVID-19 deaths, 1st case on First Nation
They have all been isolating for over 2 weeks in their High River home and are in recovery. Ruiz is relieved the Cargill processing plant shut down. Her husband’s cousin who rents a room downstairs works at Cargill, and he and his wife got infected by the virus. He was the first to show symptoms.
“The guy living with us works with Cargill and it was from his job. There is no social distancing at all, so what happened is, it came from his work and it was brought to the household. That’s based on my experience. It’s not from the household going to the company. No,” Ruiz said.
She said multiple people living in one household is common within the Filipino community because they are supporting each other as they get settled in a new country.
“We are helping them, some of them are renting a house say seven of them will rent together, not everyone can afford a house,” Ruiz said.
READ MORE: Albertans struggling to return home from the Philippines amid COVID-19
The coronavirus has hit the Filipino community particularly hard. Elma Ton also lives with someone who tested positive, another employee at Cargill.
“I have a renter. He received his swab test results and it came back positive so it’s been stressful. We are all emotional with what is happening right now,” Ton said. “We feel we are helpless.”
“Every household that I know with a Filipino, there is somebody tested positive in every household that I know.
Ton’s husband works at the meat processing plant too, and is concerned about him returning to work.
“I’m worried for my children, especially my eldest one, because she has high blood pressure,” Ton said. “We are all worried for our lives.”
The union supporting the 2000 workers at the Cargill plant said more needs to be done to reassure families when they return to work. Thomas Hesse, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) President, is advocating for them to be heard.
“No one should have to die for us to eat a hamburger,” Hesse said
“These plants are petri dishes of infection; where hundreds if not thousands are working in close proximity. It has its origin, we believe, in these crowded plants.
Global News reached out to Cargill officials and did not receive a response in time for publication.
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Monday, May 04, 2020
Workers return to Alberta meat plant despite union's effort to block reopening amid COVID-19JASON KENNEY MEATPACKERS TRUMP MINI ME
Cargill plant south of Calgary is site of largest coronavirus outbreak in Canada
AFTER
Cargill plant south of Calgary is site of largest coronavirus outbreak in Canada
CBC News · Posted: May 04, 2020
UFCW Local 401 president Thomas Hesse says he's disappointed that efforts to stop the reopening of Cargill's southern Alberta meat processing plant failed.
(Dan McGarvey/CBC)
The union for workers at a southern Alberta meat beef-packing plant that has been the site of the largest single COVID-19 outbreak in Canada says it has been unable to stop the facility from reopening on Monday.
It said earlier this week that one shift would resume work on Monday with bolstered safety measures.
The union for workers at a southern Alberta meat beef-packing plant that has been the site of the largest single COVID-19 outbreak in Canada says it has been unable to stop the facility from reopening on Monday.
Cargill announced April 20 it was temporarily shutting down operations for two weeks at the plant, which provides about 40 per cent of the beef processing in Canada.
There have been 921 cases of the virus at the Cargill plant south of Calgary, which has 2,000 workers. One worker in her 60s died, and her husband was hospitalized with the illness.
It said earlier this week that one shift would resume work on Monday with bolstered safety measures.
Union representatives, company officials and members of the media were on hand Monday as the Cargill meat processing plant in High River, Alta., reopened after being closed for about two weeks because of a COVID-19 outbreak. (Dan McGarvey/CBC)
Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has said Alberta Health Services officials have done on-site inspections and have been assured the facility is safe.
But Thomas Hesse with the United Food and Commercial Workers union Local 401 said workers are scared, and the local tried to get a stop-work order from Alberta Occupational Health and Safety.
On Monday, he said that effort had so far failed, but that negotiations were ongoing.
Alberta Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Deena Hinshaw has said Alberta Health Services officials have done on-site inspections and have been assured the facility is safe.
But Thomas Hesse with the United Food and Commercial Workers union Local 401 said workers are scared, and the local tried to get a stop-work order from Alberta Occupational Health and Safety.
On Monday, he said that effort had so far failed, but that negotiations were ongoing.
"Unfortunately, the situation has not been resolved. At this moment, we have been unable to convince any government or legal authority to have the courage to step in and ensure the plant remains closed until safety is assured. Our lawyers are looking at new strategies," Hesse said on the union's website.
Speaking to reporters Monday outside the facility where he and other union members were on hand to greet workers as they arrived, Hesse said it appeared many employees are staying away.
Speaking to reporters Monday outside the facility where he and other union members were on hand to greet workers as they arrived, Hesse said it appeared many employees are staying away.
CARGILL SWEAT SHOP
BEFORE
Cargill says it has added several safety measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including these barriers between work stations at its High River plant. (Cargill)
"I have no doubt that it's going to be very slow. People are scared, they're not coming to work. It's a problem for everyone. It's a problem for ranchers, it's a problem for consumers, it's a problem for workers," he said.
"And Cargill needs to fix this, and they need to fix it now."
The union held a rally on the edge of the property and handed out black face masks emblazoned with "Safety First" to anyone who needed them.
A statement from Cargill said all employees who are "healthy and eligible to work" have been asked to report for work for the plant's two shifts.
"According to health officials, the majority of our employees remain healthy or have recovered. We are grateful for our workers' dedication and resilience as our plant and community walks through this heart-wrenching pandemic," said the statement.
On its website, the union told its members: "If you are healthy and have been called and cleared to return to work, you should report to your supervisor. "If you don't really think it is safe to work, then don't."
85% of workers afraid to return as Alberta meat plant preps to reopen after COVID-19 outbreak, union says
The union surveyed more than 600 workers in four languages over the weekend; 85 per cent reported they are afraid to return to work, and 80 per cent said they did not want the plant to reopen Monday.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Cargill said representatives with AHS and OHS reviewed the safety measures at the facility and supported reopening.
Health officials at plant
"I have no doubt that it's going to be very slow. People are scared, they're not coming to work. It's a problem for everyone. It's a problem for ranchers, it's a problem for consumers, it's a problem for workers," he said.
"And Cargill needs to fix this, and they need to fix it now."
The union held a rally on the edge of the property and handed out black face masks emblazoned with "Safety First" to anyone who needed them.
A statement from Cargill said all employees who are "healthy and eligible to work" have been asked to report for work for the plant's two shifts.
"According to health officials, the majority of our employees remain healthy or have recovered. We are grateful for our workers' dedication and resilience as our plant and community walks through this heart-wrenching pandemic," said the statement.
On its website, the union told its members: "If you are healthy and have been called and cleared to return to work, you should report to your supervisor. "If you don't really think it is safe to work, then don't."
85% of workers afraid to return as Alberta meat plant preps to reopen after COVID-19 outbreak, union says
The union surveyed more than 600 workers in four languages over the weekend; 85 per cent reported they are afraid to return to work, and 80 per cent said they did not want the plant to reopen Monday.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Cargill said representatives with AHS and OHS reviewed the safety measures at the facility and supported reopening.
Health officials at plant
The company said protective barriers have been installed on the production floor to allow for more spacing between employees and face shields have been introduced in places where protective barriers are not possible.
Cargill also said provincial health officials would be at the plant for Monday's reopening.
Cargill also said provincial health officials would be at the plant for Monday's reopening.
Union representatives wave at a shuttle bus carrying workers returning to the Cargill beef processing plant in High River, Alta., that was closed for two weeks because of COVID-19. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)
"Alberta Health Services will be on-site and we will conduct our ongoing screening to safeguard employees and ensure no one exhibiting symptoms enters the facility."
Cargill is limiting plant access to no more than two people per car, one in the front and one in the back. It is also providing buses with protective barriers to reduce the need for carpooling.
Barriers have also been added in bathrooms and lockers have been reassigned to allow for enough spacing.
But Hesse says the union isn't satisfied. Its two priorities are the provision of better protective gear and the institution of regular, ongoing health and safety meetings between workers and company officials.
"It's ridiculous that hundreds of workers can be required to pour into the plant to kill 4,000 to 5,000 cattle a day, while if you climb on the monkey bars in your local park you're going to get a ticket," he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the situation at Cargill as he spoke to the media at his regular briefing Monday morning.
"We're working with provinces across the country to ensure that the supply chain for agriculture continues and that worker safety is upheld," he said.
"That is a provincial area of responsibility, but the federal government has a role to play as well, particularly ensuring that there are adequate safeguards and [personal protective equipment] in place."
With files from The Canadian Press and Sarah Rieger
"Alberta Health Services will be on-site and we will conduct our ongoing screening to safeguard employees and ensure no one exhibiting symptoms enters the facility."
Cargill is limiting plant access to no more than two people per car, one in the front and one in the back. It is also providing buses with protective barriers to reduce the need for carpooling.
Barriers have also been added in bathrooms and lockers have been reassigned to allow for enough spacing.
But Hesse says the union isn't satisfied. Its two priorities are the provision of better protective gear and the institution of regular, ongoing health and safety meetings between workers and company officials.
"It's ridiculous that hundreds of workers can be required to pour into the plant to kill 4,000 to 5,000 cattle a day, while if you climb on the monkey bars in your local park you're going to get a ticket," he said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was asked about the situation at Cargill as he spoke to the media at his regular briefing Monday morning.
"We're working with provinces across the country to ensure that the supply chain for agriculture continues and that worker safety is upheld," he said.
"That is a provincial area of responsibility, but the federal government has a role to play as well, particularly ensuring that there are adequate safeguards and [personal protective equipment] in place."
With files from The Canadian Press and Sarah Rieger
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Labour group calls for criminal investigation into Cargill beef plant COVID-19 death
AMANDA STEPHENSON, CALGARY HERALD April 22, 2020
The Cargill plant north of High River, AB, south of Calgary is shown on Friday, April 17, 2020. Jim Wells/Postmedia
'There's no doubt in our minds that this is a workplace fatality,' said AFL president Gil McGowan on Tuesday
The COVID-19 death of a High River meat plant employee must be treated as a workplace fatality and a criminal investigation should be launched, the Alberta Federation of Labour said Tuesday.
In a letter Tuesday to provincial Labour Minister Jason Copping, AFL president Gil McGowan called for a formal Occupational Health & Safety investigation into the circumstances of the death — which was made public Monday and is the first fatality to result from a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak at the Cargill meat processing plant in High River.
Occupational Health & Safety investigates serious work site incidents, including fatalities, which fall under provincial jurisdiction. OHS is currently working through the formal process to determine whether to open a fatality investigation, Adrienne South, spokeswoman for Copping, said Thursday evening.
The provincial labour group also called for the meat plant’s operator, Cargill Inc., to be subject to an RCMP criminal investigation under the federal Westray Act, a rarely used amendment to the Criminal Code that allows employers to be prosecuted in cases of negligence leading to a workplace injury or death.
“There’s no doubt in our minds that this is a workplace fatality,” McGowan said in an interview. “And also that it could have been avoided, had the employer and the government suspended operations at that plant when the workers and their union called for it more than two weeks ago.”
As of Tuesday, 401 workers at the High River meat-packing plant — which represents 36 per cent of Canada’s beef processing capacity — had tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, Cargill announced it would temporarily idle the entire facility and encouraged all employees to seek testing for the virus.
However, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, which represents workers at the Cargill plant, has been saying for weeks the Minnesota-based company wasn’t doing enough to protect employees.
Union local president Thomas Hesse wrote to Cargill in mid-April, stating that work was being carried out in a manner contrary to social distancing and endangering roughly 2,000 workers at the facility. At the time, Hesse demanded a two-week closure and a full cleaning and safety inspection of the plant.
Earlier this month, OHS did conduct an inspection of the Cargill plant in High River to review the COVID-19 safety measures being taken to protect workers. The inspection determined that reasonable precautions were being taken by the employer.
However, Hesse has been critical of that inspection, which was conducted via videoconference and not in person by an OHS officer. (South said the reason the inspection was conducted via videoconference was because of the pandemic, and said this method of inspection is not specific or unique to the Cargill facility.)
“We can’t trust the government on this now, because they could have closed this plant and didn’t,” Hesse said Thursday.
Both Hesse and the AFL are calling for both the Olymel pork processing plant at Red Deer and the JBS meat processing plant at Brooks (which had 77 confirmed cases of Tuesday afternoon) to also be temporarily shut down out of concerns for worker safety.
JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said in an email Tuesday the Brooks plant has reduced production to one shift, given “increased absenteeism.”
Bruett said the JBS facility has a responsibility to maintain operations to secure the country’s food supply, but added “we will not operate a facility if we do not believe it is safe or if absenteeism levels result in our inability to safely operate.”
Both JBS and Cargill have consistently said they have been implementing temperature testing, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing, face coverings, screening between employee stations, prohibiting visitors, adopting distancing practices where possible and offering staggered breaks and shift flexibility.
AHS officials responded as soon the Cargill outbreak was identified and enhanced safety protocols were put in place, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said Tuesday.
“But because there are so many people that go in and out of these plants, it’s possible that spread did occur before those protective measures were put into place,” Hinshaw said.
NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley — who has urged all meat plant workers sick with COVID-19 to apply for WCB compensation — said the Cargill employee’s death, as well as the outbreak at the entire facility, should be subject to an OHS investigation.
She also criticized Agriculture Minister Devin Dreeshen, who, two days before the fatality was confirmed and the closure of the plant was announced, publicly assured employees and Albertans that Cargill had taken “all necessary measures” to mitigate risk to its staff.
“It’s outrageous that we’re at a place today where hundreds of people have contracted a deadly virus because the UCP couldn’t see past the supply chain to the people at work,” Notley said in a news release.
The AFL and UFCW are calling for an independent safety inspection of the Cargill plant, as well as the development of a provincewide plan to prevent future outbreaks at meat plants.
Myles Leslie, associate director of research with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, said it may be necessary for all three plants to be closed and completely redesigned to keep workers safe while still producing food.
“We may need to completely shut, hit the reset button, redo the production line so that everyone is two metres apart,” Leslie said. “Production will have to go down. But back online at 50 per cent is a whole lot better than shut down at zero per cent, or 100 per cent with everybody sick.”
AMANDA STEPHENSON, CALGARY HERALD April 22, 2020
The Cargill plant north of High River, AB, south of Calgary is shown on Friday, April 17, 2020. Jim Wells/Postmedia
'There's no doubt in our minds that this is a workplace fatality,' said AFL president Gil McGowan on Tuesday
The COVID-19 death of a High River meat plant employee must be treated as a workplace fatality and a criminal investigation should be launched, the Alberta Federation of Labour said Tuesday.
In a letter Tuesday to provincial Labour Minister Jason Copping, AFL president Gil McGowan called for a formal Occupational Health & Safety investigation into the circumstances of the death — which was made public Monday and is the first fatality to result from a large-scale COVID-19 outbreak at the Cargill meat processing plant in High River.
Occupational Health & Safety investigates serious work site incidents, including fatalities, which fall under provincial jurisdiction. OHS is currently working through the formal process to determine whether to open a fatality investigation, Adrienne South, spokeswoman for Copping, said Thursday evening.
The provincial labour group also called for the meat plant’s operator, Cargill Inc., to be subject to an RCMP criminal investigation under the federal Westray Act, a rarely used amendment to the Criminal Code that allows employers to be prosecuted in cases of negligence leading to a workplace injury or death.
“There’s no doubt in our minds that this is a workplace fatality,” McGowan said in an interview. “And also that it could have been avoided, had the employer and the government suspended operations at that plant when the workers and their union called for it more than two weeks ago.”
As of Tuesday, 401 workers at the High River meat-packing plant — which represents 36 per cent of Canada’s beef processing capacity — had tested positive for COVID-19. On Monday, Cargill announced it would temporarily idle the entire facility and encouraged all employees to seek testing for the virus.
However, the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401, which represents workers at the Cargill plant, has been saying for weeks the Minnesota-based company wasn’t doing enough to protect employees.
Union local president Thomas Hesse wrote to Cargill in mid-April, stating that work was being carried out in a manner contrary to social distancing and endangering roughly 2,000 workers at the facility. At the time, Hesse demanded a two-week closure and a full cleaning and safety inspection of the plant.
Earlier this month, OHS did conduct an inspection of the Cargill plant in High River to review the COVID-19 safety measures being taken to protect workers. The inspection determined that reasonable precautions were being taken by the employer.
However, Hesse has been critical of that inspection, which was conducted via videoconference and not in person by an OHS officer. (South said the reason the inspection was conducted via videoconference was because of the pandemic, and said this method of inspection is not specific or unique to the Cargill facility.)
“We can’t trust the government on this now, because they could have closed this plant and didn’t,” Hesse said Thursday.
Both Hesse and the AFL are calling for both the Olymel pork processing plant at Red Deer and the JBS meat processing plant at Brooks (which had 77 confirmed cases of Tuesday afternoon) to also be temporarily shut down out of concerns for worker safety.
JBS spokesman Cameron Bruett said in an email Tuesday the Brooks plant has reduced production to one shift, given “increased absenteeism.”
Bruett said the JBS facility has a responsibility to maintain operations to secure the country’s food supply, but added “we will not operate a facility if we do not believe it is safe or if absenteeism levels result in our inability to safely operate.”
Both JBS and Cargill have consistently said they have been implementing temperature testing, enhanced cleaning and sanitizing, face coverings, screening between employee stations, prohibiting visitors, adopting distancing practices where possible and offering staggered breaks and shift flexibility.
AHS officials responded as soon the Cargill outbreak was identified and enhanced safety protocols were put in place, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta’s chief medical officer of health, said Tuesday.
“But because there are so many people that go in and out of these plants, it’s possible that spread did occur before those protective measures were put into place,” Hinshaw said.
NDP Opposition Leader Rachel Notley — who has urged all meat plant workers sick with COVID-19 to apply for WCB compensation — said the Cargill employee’s death, as well as the outbreak at the entire facility, should be subject to an OHS investigation.
She also criticized Agriculture Minister Devin Dreeshen, who, two days before the fatality was confirmed and the closure of the plant was announced, publicly assured employees and Albertans that Cargill had taken “all necessary measures” to mitigate risk to its staff.
“It’s outrageous that we’re at a place today where hundreds of people have contracted a deadly virus because the UCP couldn’t see past the supply chain to the people at work,” Notley said in a news release.
The AFL and UFCW are calling for an independent safety inspection of the Cargill plant, as well as the development of a provincewide plan to prevent future outbreaks at meat plants.
Myles Leslie, associate director of research with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy, said it may be necessary for all three plants to be closed and completely redesigned to keep workers safe while still producing food.
“We may need to completely shut, hit the reset button, redo the production line so that everyone is two metres apart,” Leslie said. “Production will have to go down. But back online at 50 per cent is a whole lot better than shut down at zero per cent, or 100 per cent with everybody sick.”
---30---
Monday, June 13, 2022
This Alberta town named one of the top 10 best places to live in Canada
Laine Mitchell
|DH
Jun 10 2022
Instagram A post shared by Town of High River (@townofhighriver)
A town in southern Alberta has been named one of the best places to live in the country and it’s the sole spot to make the cut in western Canada.
The list, from Moving Waldo, focuses on three main criteria for determining the rankings. First up is safety (based on the crime rate), then there’s affordability, and finally, access to recreational facilities and parks.
High River was ranked #10 on the list, being awarded for its tranquillity and outdoorsy culture.
The town also found itself on the list thanks to it being one of the cheapest places to live in Alberta and also having a low crime rate. Lethbridge needs to take some notes when it comes to the crime department. Lethbridge outranks Atlanta, Baghdad for cities on the global crime index
Moving Waldo
Moving Waldo also pointed to High River hosting annual events all year round, but it is particularly known for its old-fashioned outdoor parade during Christmas festivities as the entire town lights up. The city has many craft fairs, art studios, and galleries.
Here’s the full ranking of the best places to live in Canada right now:
Laine Mitchell
|DH
Jun 10 2022
Instagram A post shared by Town of High River (@townofhighriver)
A town in southern Alberta has been named one of the best places to live in the country and it’s the sole spot to make the cut in western Canada.
The list, from Moving Waldo, focuses on three main criteria for determining the rankings. First up is safety (based on the crime rate), then there’s affordability, and finally, access to recreational facilities and parks.
High River was ranked #10 on the list, being awarded for its tranquillity and outdoorsy culture.
The town also found itself on the list thanks to it being one of the cheapest places to live in Alberta and also having a low crime rate. Lethbridge needs to take some notes when it comes to the crime department. Lethbridge outranks Atlanta, Baghdad for cities on the global crime index
Moving Waldo
Moving Waldo also pointed to High River hosting annual events all year round, but it is particularly known for its old-fashioned outdoor parade during Christmas festivities as the entire town lights up. The city has many craft fairs, art studios, and galleries.
Here’s the full ranking of the best places to live in Canada right now:
Deep River, Ontario
Levis, Quebec
Trenton, Nova Scotia
Wellington County, Ontario
Quebec City, Quebec
Saguenay, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Thetford Mines, Quebec
Edmundston, New Brunswick
High River, Alberta
High River, Alberta Flood 2013
Levis, Quebec
Trenton, Nova Scotia
Wellington County, Ontario
Quebec City, Quebec
Saguenay, Ontario
Barrie, Ontario
Thetford Mines, Quebec
Edmundston, New Brunswick
High River, Alberta
High River, Alberta Flood 2013
The flood imagery is 16 cm resolution.
Web Map by corppub
Created: Jul 18, 2013 Updated: Feb 12, 2016
Description
This swipe map displays the imagery before the flood and the flooding impact in High River, AB. The town was evacuated after flooding of the Highwood River caused water to rise over the top of vehicles in the town's main streets and necessitated the rescue of over 150 people from the rooftops of their homes.
Web Map by corppub
Created: Jul 18, 2013 Updated: Feb 12, 2016
Description
This swipe map displays the imagery before the flood and the flooding impact in High River, AB. The town was evacuated after flooding of the Highwood River caused water to rise over the top of vehicles in the town's main streets and necessitated the rescue of over 150 people from the rooftops of their homes.
BUILT ON A FLOOD PLAIN
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