Unions pass around the hat for XL Beef workers

J.J.

- November 21st, 2009 at 10:49:12

How can a person work for 20 yrs doing hard physical labor and have no ambition, Dave? I know a young man from another country who worked 5 days a week at XL and the other two days at another job-7 days a week! And he has no ambition? Also, there's no guarantee a degree will get you a job. Just ask a few hundred university grads waiting tables or doing other dead-end jobs.

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  workers friend

  - February 19th, 2010 at 12:13:21

  My thoughts are with the workers... get other unions to help u guys... they will send money to help you with your strike pay... forget about all these people who know nothing about union work...Keep fighting and you will come out the winners... There are alot of people behind you in Moose Jaw.... No one with children can live on ten dollars an hour... if you do you are living in poverty..... Good Luck Workers.... People are rallying around you.....

Dwight

- November 20th, 2009 at 13:52:34

The contract might be garbage, but I have not seen it, so therefore I cannot say one way, or the other. All I am saying is that if this contract is not accepted, the chances are very high that the doors @ XL-Beef will "NEVER OPEN AGAIN". Hey, it's hapened @ other places, so there is absolutly no reason why it can't happen here also. Remember the Pork Plant ??? Just remember that Brooks Alberta isn't that far from here. My brother-in-law is a rancher, & is still selling his cattle.

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Cory

- November 17th, 2009 at 17:24:20

Who Cares anymore, get jobs this place is never gonna open it's doors again, besides why should they be paid more then there counter parts in brooks or calgary so suck it up buttercups and here is to what i hope is a really cold winter... Oh and for those of you who can't tell i don't care about this story or plant it's time your paper found something better to cover other then the greed of these workers and the story which keeps chnging from a four year deal to now a six year one please someone get the facts right. Bottom line you all have each other and a poor union to blame for yet another business leaving moose jaw. As someone on here once said go back to work and help pay for that sewer line upgrade that cost how much?? Also to help pay for the multimess, cheers and have fun remember the grinch is just around the corner and santa is giving you all coal hahahahahah....

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I SUPPORT YOU

- November 16th, 2009 at 22:05:02

I have been reading all the posts here and am quite ashamed at most of you. I have had the opportunity to read the proposal that was presented to these workers, and I must say that it was, to say the very least, GARBAGE!!! All you who feel that these people should have to return to work under these conditions, should maybe get a job there when they do finally get back to work. Once you have worked a day in their shoes you will realize why they are out there. NO, they are not striking...they are LOCKED-OUT!!! You ask how I know this...a very good friend of mine is one of these workers and has shown me the proposal. It is not the Saturdays that they are contesting here (as this is what a lot of you think), it is everything else that is involved in this contract proposal. There are men and women who have been working for this company for many years (hard physical labor) and now the company wants to take away their severence package. People, let's get real now... WE ARE WORKING FOR OUR FUTURES...not for TODAY. Realistically, would you want to throw away anywhere between 5 and 30 thousand dollars for a YES vote. You might not think it was a big deal, but what about the people who have been there for 25 or more years, nearing retirement, and have banked on this money being there, if something were to happen. Now lets talk about the overtime issue. It is not only Saturdays, it is all the extra overtime during the week. And trust me, they would probably be asking for more than just an extra hour or two over the course of the week. A lot of these young folks working there are single parents. Daycares are not open after 5:30 or 6 p.m. and they are not open on Saturdays. If you want to do their babysitting for them, then start your businesses now. Then to top off all that, they want them to sign a SIX (6) year contract with a wage increase of $1.75 for 5 of these years. An extra $.25 will be put into thier pension funds over 4 years. And, I was also informed that there would be NO increase in one of the years, as they are using their 'SIGNING BONUS' as their wage increase (what kind of incentive is that?) EI has been suspended and they are trying to make their ends meet on, yes, $240.00 per week. Some have jobs to offset the balance of what they need to meet their household bills, etc. I DO SUPPORT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU and hope that this is resolved soon. I do drive by as often as I can and offer a honk and a wave, and will continue to do so. You are all in my thoughts and prayers and hope that the rest of the community that we live in will follow suit. STAY STRONG.

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Stevo

- November 9th, 2009 at 20:52:26

Hey Vlad, Enjoy freezing your panties off this winter! I'll pour out a Timmies for you every time I get one.

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Vlad

- October 29th, 2009 at 18:16:01

I have to laugh at the comments,the people that think you should take less money than the offer proposed and work more for less,well most of the people who think you should give in, most likely own thier own business. So if you really want to have people hear you hit them were it hurts the pocket book, dont shop moose jaw until these losers feel it too. Then I am sure they will not be so easy to critize. The Good people of moose juice only care when it affects them so affect them. LOL I personally would not spend a nickel in that redneck racist little inbred villiage, oh sorry you have an influx of unemployed Alberta recknect hillbillys there now, my bad. Well I am bored and its just about 420 so adios crackers.

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MJ

- October 29th, 2009 at 02:48:55

Please pass this link on http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Business/2009-10-26/article-136396/Unions_pass_around_the_hat_for_XL_Beef_workers/1 to vote on this so called injustice.

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MJ

- October 29th, 2009 at 02:40:52

Moose Jaw i would like a vote: YES for going back to work at a wage increase and working Saturdays six months a year or NO for working no Saturdays and walking the picket line making 240 a week and collecting welfare. Please vote Moose Jaw and let these guys know that jobs are few and far between!!!

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Confused

- October 28th, 2009 at 19:53:56

I dont think some of the people who voted no realize that there are people with families who wanted to go back to work and cant now....some people have children to feed an bills to pay, and yes...Christmas is just around the corner. I know that there are people who are having to go on welfare because the picket pay isnt going to cover the costs of rent/mortgage, bill, food and so on. Also, like someone else had mentioned...you are loosing hundreds of dollars a day in trying to negotiate the contract....Go back to work and give it another go when the contract comes up again. Take what they have to offer....again- you are probably loosing more money on strike than you would gain in the "perfect contract" that you are likely not going to get.

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MJ

- October 28th, 2009 at 01:37:21

Hey FEDUP I know there are a few of you that voted yes and i feel for you guys the most. You are stuck walking that line because of these greedy people beside so. At 93% vote down, that could only be what 10-15 of you at the most. Its time you find another job b/c these guys are going to drag you down all winter long. Stand up and let the union know that they are in the wrong and you guys need to get this plant open at a whatever cost.

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FEDUP

- October 27th, 2009 at 23:41:03

HEY MJ, do not assume that everyone who is stuck on the line are the ones that voted against any and all the deals that have come to a vote. And for the people who think that they are still getting EI are mistaken. Some people have slipped through the cracks because EI didnt cut them off when they were suppose to, but guaranteed they will have to pay that money back and if they don't then its the gov't fault for continuing to pay them.

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MJ

- October 27th, 2009 at 19:27:57

MR TRUTH i think i saw that movie you're talking about, it was called Conspiracy Theory. Why can't you guys just admit that you made a mistake and now you will have to pay for it by walking the line ALL winter long, and don't you think that for one minute anyone around town is going to feel sorry for people who refuse to work when given an offer that includes more money in pay and time.

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SANTA

- October 27th, 2009 at 17:41:27

All the more reason TO GET TO WORK no EI,Poor xmas tree it will be bare.. people are still not getting the truth haaaaaaaaaaaa

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A Girl

- October 27th, 2009 at 17:35:40

Lynn B...they are not recieving EI. This was cut the week after they were locked out. They are recieving $240 a week in picket pay (if they picket). Well said Mr Truth.

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Lynn B

- October 27th, 2009 at 09:32:51

I dont get it... these people are still receiving EI benefits yet are on strike now? the plant would be open if there wasnt a dispute right?? From the EI act of canada: If a strike, a lockout or other form of labour dispute where you work causes you to lose your job or prevents you from going to work, you will generally not be paid EI benefits. The following conditions apply whether you are a union member or not and whether your job is part or full-time. You may, however, be eligible to receive benefits if: you are not taking part in the dispute; you are not giving money directly to support the dispute; and you are not directly interested in the dispute — i.e. your wages or working conditions, etc., are not affected by the outcome of the dispute. If you are taking part in a labour dispute, you are not eligible for EI until : the strike or lockout is over; or you have found another regular job where you pay EI premiums. If you had already arranged for an approved absence from work before the work stoppage started, such as sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave or authorized training, you may still be paid EI benefits, this does not apply for mass layoffs. So these people are recieving EI, Union strike pay, and some are working a job to supplement... ????? Does this not seem wrong???? Way to work the system!

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  MR TRUTH

  - October 27th, 2009 at 11:05:03

  Sorry Lynn, these people are eligible for EI. The loophole is that they were laid off by the employer and tthe employer NEVER recalled them. Had they came back and worked one shift it would have been different. Basically put the plant management messed up if they wanted to put pressure on the workers economically. The workers were NEVER offered their jobs back, the workers NEVER turned down the job, they are simply NEGOTIATING. The act allows people to negotiate the terms of employment for any worker that finds a job. You must be willing to go to work. Who can prove that any of the workers voted against the offer as it is a a SECRET balloot. If they were to call me in I could easily say I want to go back to work but cannot so I am LOOKING elsewhere like I am suppose to. Score one for the workers. Ciao. Also theplant has NEVER said they were going to re-open. That just has NOT happened. By delaying this thing the plant couild be hoping that if they ever re-open tha the workers have moved on because they do not have to pay severence. Who is to say that that is not the REAL reason for this dispute. The plant is closed it isn't re-opening and by doing this you save a lot of money you would otherwise have to paqy out in severence under provincial law and the union contract. Maybe people should look at the compnay's POSSIBLE motivation for a change. Ciao.

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  Just A Dude

  - October 27th, 2009 at 11:24:21

  And once again the uninformed spouting off before getting the facts. Enough said.

santa

- October 27th, 2009 at 03:39:05

finnaly some thought there MJ, do the right thing and get to work,you will see that it wil all pan out in the end i just dont want empty sacks at xmas. now grab your union leaders and get to it and by the way my guys are unionized and trust me they give me the gears too. the elves work 24 hours a day,364 days a year,year in and year out.

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mj

- October 26th, 2009 at 23:55:48

It seems like maybe you guys are being a little demanding, from what i've read you guys had a solid offer this summer but your union failed to present it to you. Do you think this has anything to do with these latest offers? I for one would be asking the union why they couldn't present the offer and what they are planning on doing to get you guys through the winter. You guys will be extremely lucky if you get another offer by years end. Maybe its time to re-evaluate your priorities and see if living below the poverty line is worth not working Saturdays for six months out of the year. It's going to be a long hard winter so i suggest you take another look at these so called ridiculous demands. The public will soon lose interest in you guys as we have seen around here the public opinion of what you guys are doing is not very positive. When people all around are loosing their jobs and companies are shutting down these guys want you to work more hours and pay you guys more money and you guys still don't want to go back. I think alot of us think it's time for you guys to grow up and take what you can get because there isn't a tonne of jobs out there that will pay you what you where making out there. Maybe you guys will change your tune when its -40c outside and you can't afford to run your vehicles because you're only bringing home strike pay. Good Luck to you all, and i hope you guys get this resolved before people start losing their cars and house's.

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b

- October 26th, 2009 at 23:52:14

this website never works!

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Stu Pud

- October 26th, 2009 at 21:47:18

What the company is demanding is ridiculous. Hang in there. It's time the company got serious and put forward a real offer.

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The Elfs

- October 26th, 2009 at 19:51:36

Hopefully you will all be smiling at Christmas!

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santa

- October 26th, 2009 at 15:07:23

get to work,.......im comming.......just a thought.......all the other beef plants dont have a severence clause and the money your losing right now will be gone for good,take what you can now and get it back next round. and over time do it you need it now to make up for your lost income. remember santas comming HO HO HO

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