Francine Raymond, Local 405P

Lesters Lesters
Montreal, Quebec

Francine has been an activist for a long time and is a woman of conviction. She was 15 when she started to work at Lesters. She was an operator on a Supervac line. Lesters is a meat processing plant which mainly produces hot dogs, smoked meats and other deli meats.

Francine has a family history with this company: her aunt worked there and her husband and son also work there. After she was hired, her uncle who worked with Huguette-Plamondon, former president of 405P told her: “Francine, we are going to bring the union to Lesters". So Francine did some door to door organizing and they succeeded in getting a majority of cards signed.

That was 38 years ago. At that time, numerous immigrants from Eastern Europe, Italy and Portugal, worked at the plant and they were reluctant to sign a union card, however, they have told her they are now very happy to have a retirement paid for by their pension plan and their children also work at the plant.

Francine is a woman who does not tolerate injustice. In the beginning, conditions in the plant were difficult for women. Unlike the men who dared to stand up to the foremen, the women said nothing and didn’t complain because the foremen were aggressive and put pressure on them.

She clearly remembers when in 1976 the production manager arrived to work drunk and began harassing one of her coworkers. Francine came to her defence and in retribution they announced that she was being transferred to nightshift. She refused and quit the plant for four years, coming back in 1980 after the boss in question had been fired. But according to Francine, things have changed a lot at the plant since that time.

She has fought against some of the stereotypes that have prevented women from holding certain positions, such as forklift operator. Now women can go anywhere in the plant and can take courses in how to operate forklifts. Women assert themselves more and are taking their rightful place.

“They don’t let themselves be walked all over anymore", she says.

Francine has served as co-president for three years and was the health and safety rep for six years. Although she has never held the position of union steward, she says she is the eyes and ears of the union. When she witnesses an incident, she reports it to the steward right away. Numerous people come to ask her questions. They even call her at home during her vacation. She is not afraid to speak for those who don’t dare to speak for themselves. What’s more, being the health and safety rep means that Francine is also a first aid attendant and is therefore the one providing first aid.

For Francine, one big challenge that remains to be addressed is to encourage immigrant labourers, who now mostly come from Asia, to get involved in union life at the plant.

“They are our succession”, she says. ”Without a new generation, how are we going to maintain our rights?”

When they get hurt, Francine informs them of their rights and the possibility of claiming compensation.  Many don’t even dare to seek treatment for fear of losing their jobs. She believes that by educating them about the union these people will get involved. She invites them to come to union meetings which they did at the last ratification meeting of their collective agreement.

Without the union, Francine believes she wouldn't have continued to work at Lester. She concludes by saying that as long as she has the strength to do it, she will continue to fight to protect her coworkers.