Cargill Bargaining Committee prepares for bargaining
Recently, your Bargaining Committee met to begin preparing for negotiations. The Committee engaged in training and discussions about important issues facing Cargill union members.
The largest, strongest Bargaining Committee Cargill has ever seen
Your Bargaining Committee is the largest and most diverse we have ever brought to bargaining with Cargill. The Committee is made up of 14 people from all areas of the Plant, some of whom bring a great deal of experience to negotiations and others for whom bargaining is new.
Please click here to tell us how you are feeling right now about important issues at the Plant.
Creating a large and diverse Bargaining Committee was a focus for your union. It ensures we present the strongest group of voices possible when negotiating with the Company.
Preparing to take the lead in negotiations
Lead Negotiator Devin Yeager laid out the negotiation process for Committee members, talking about how we expect bargaining with the Company to unfold.
Secretary Treasurer Richelle Stewart and I had the opportunity to talk to the Bargaining Committee about the importance of this round of negotiations at Cargill. We said that the union was committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that Cargill union members receive a fair contract.
Scott Payne from the Communications Department talked about the need to engage all Cargill union members in negotiations and communicating with a strong, unified voice in order to push the Company.
Working together
Your union will be using a number of different technologies to provide you with updates about negotiations, including email, text messages, and phone calls.
If you are not sure whether your union has the correct contact information for you, reach out to your Union Labour Relations Officer, Joe Attwood.
It is important that we keep you up to date on what is going on with negotiations and that everyone is pushing to achieve the same goals. By being strong and united behind your Bargaining Committee, we can push the Company to give you a fair deal.
The issues that matter to you
Your Bargaining Committee spent substantial time discussing the issues that are of greatest importance to Cargill union members. These issues included:
- Increasing wages
- Re-introducing pandemic pay
- Improving benefits
- Better management of overtime and work-life balance
- Implementing sick time
- Ensuring health and safety in the Plant
This is a unique time for Cargill union members. Between the outbreak last year and the one we are currently dealing with, it is clear that the Company needs to do right by you at the bargaining table and keep you safe.
We know that there has been a recent increase in the number of positive COVID cases at the Plant. Your union is monitoring the situation very closely. If you have any questions or concerns about the outbreak, please don’t hesitate to contact your union.
What’s next?
Your Bargaining Committee will be exchanging proposals with the Company about what we are looking for in negotiations this Thursday, March 25. And we have our first meetings to begin discussing those proposals on April 28 and 29.
Again, it is important that Cargill union members stay up to date with what is happening in negotiations. By working together through your union, we can push to get Cargill union members the contract you all deserve.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your Bargaining Committee members (the list of Bargaining Committee members can be found in this previous email) or your Union Labour Relations Officer, Joe Attwood.
Posted on: March 23,2021