An end could finally be in sight for the strike at the Cargill beef processing plant in Guelph.
According to a Wednesday post on X from the Beef Farmers of Ontario (BFO), a recommended memorandum of settlement has been reached between the company and nearly 1,000 members of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 175. Workers are set to vote on the pact on Saturday, the BFO statement said.
No other details were released.
Workers have been on strike since late May at the Cargill facility, which processes up to about 75% of the province’s cattle. The disruption has forced producers in the province to ship cattle to processing plants further away – incurring additional transportation costs – or hold onto and feed their animals for longer.
“The terms of that settlement will be presented to the members on Friday with a vote to follow on Saturday,” said Kelly Tosato, President of UFCW Local 175. “It is up to the members to decide whether those terms are acceptable. And while we certainly hope this strike can be resolved amicably, the union will continue to support the democratic vote of our members no matter the outcome.”
The union said workers will remain on the picket line in the meantime.
Ballots from the Saturday ratification vote will be counted at 4 pm.
