Canada Malting: Bargaining Went Nowhere
This will be a bit longer than our previous updates, in order to catch everyone up on what has recently happened at bargaining and the next steps we’ll be taking together.
We’ll introduce this by letting you know that President Thomas Hesse and Secretary-Treasurer Richelle Stewart have authorized a wider public campaign, setting the stage for potential strike action, in response to the developments in bargaining that we talk about below.
“Canada Malting’s refusal to engage the bargaining process in a sincere way definitely merits a response from your Union,” says President Hesse. “It’s time to take our case to the public and to their clients and customers, and let them know that trouble is brewing at Canada Malting.”
“Under the labour laws of Canada, you have a right to expect good faith bargaining from your employer,” adds Secretary-Treasurer Stewart. “Your Union will not hesitate to back you to the hilt with an employer refuses to engage in genuine bargaining.”
“We have been getting ready and set for these kinds of tough fights in bargaining,” concludes President Hesse. “Now, we are in go mode, and that includes unstinting support for our members at Canada Malting!”
The Company Has Basically Refused to Negotiate
Your Union’s negotiating committee came to the bargaining table last week ready and willing to negotiate and work towards a deal.
Unfortunately, the representatives from Canada Malting did not. The new company spokesperson Jacques Goldenburg admitted that he did not have the authority to change the Company’s offer; only someone named Jean-Christophe Figueroa did. Jacques went on to say that he was having difficulty holding onto the current offer, and threatened to roll it back.
When your Union pointed out that that would be illegal, the incredible reply was that Figueroa doesn’t care about Canadian law.
“At that point, we told to company to get the F out,” said Chris O’Halloran, Executive Director of UFCW Local 401. “And that we would start a public relations campaign to put pressure on the Company, their suppliers and customers to change their minds and get them to provide a fair and reasonable offer to the membership.”
Added O’Halloran: “I had already passed the company a copy of the last two written offers and asked them to show me what they had changed, because the offers appeared to be exactly the same, and they refused to show us how they had moved or negotiated at all.”
Our PR Campaign is Swinging Into Action!
Members would have already seen their Union’s digital sign on Ogden Road at the entrance to the plant starting to inform suppliers, customers and the public that a possible labour dispute may be coming. This will continue.
Members have also seen and shared our posts on social media, and we ask you to continue to share all social media posts on Canada Malting.
The next pressure point we hope to utilize is the upcoming Banff Beerfest next weekend. If you are able to help leaflet at the Banff Beerfest, please inform your Union Labour Relations Officer Jeff Ible (jible@ufcw401.ab.ca) and/or your Negotiator Chris O’Halloran (cohalloran@ufcw401.ab.ca). We will be out there letting the brewers know that there is “Trouble Brewing at Canada Malting.”
We will start communicating directly with your company’s customers and suppliers the following week.
Thank you to everyone who has already filled out the survey; we have the start of a good list. We encourage any members who are asked questions by customers our suppliers picking up or dropping off at the plant to answer their questions honestly and truthfully.
We Are Contemplating Strike Action
We asked the company if they were making an argument that they couldn’t afford to pay for benefits — hence seeking concessions on the co-pay and health spending account items — and they said no. In the company’s own words, they don’t need such concessions for financial reasons; they’re just trying to pressure you into taking a totally unnecessary concession during an affordability crisis.
The Conciliator has said that the first date the Union can initiate a strike is December 31, 2025. Your lawyers disagree with this ruling and have objected to this timeline at the Canadian Industrial Relations Board (CIRB). We will send out another update with some more specifics on this once we hear back from the CIRB.
Last Wednesday, with the assistance of UFCW Canada, Jeff Ible and Chris O’Halloran were able to meet with a European Union representative from Canada Malting’s parent company Soufflet Malt, the largest malting company in the world. Our national Union has expressed their support for the workers from Calgary’s Canada Malting plant and has pledged solidarity actions if a strike occurred. We will continue to work with UFCW Canada to put pressure on Canada Malting across North America and Europe.
This campaign will be developing and moving quickly. If you have coworkers who are not receiving our email, please have them reach out to ufcw@ufcw401.ab.ca and ask to opt back into receiving union emails.
We will be getting another update out to the membership as soon as we hear back from the CIRB on your right to strike. If you have any questions in the meantime, please reach out to ULRO Jeff Ible by phone at 587-583-1501, or by e-mail at jible@ufcw401.ab.ca.
Posted on: October 20,2025