New agriculture unit gained in Quebec

Workers at the Savoura greenhouse in Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Quebec have been certified as the newest TUAC Local 501 agricultural bargaining unit.

The certificate was issued on March 25, 2011 by the Quebec Labour Commission, after an overwhelming majority of the 60 workers at the tomato-growing greenhouse northwest of Trois-Rivières indicated their support of Local 501 as their bargaining agent through card check certification.

Most of the workers are Temporary Foreign Workers from Mexico and Guatemala.

“This is now the sixth Local 501 agricultural bargaining unit and the momentum is building,” says Local 501 organizer and secretary-treasurer Mario Delisle (Local 503 also has bargaining unit at an agriculture operation near Quebec City).  “Each new unit builds our visibility, and other workers see that the best way to deal with work problems is by having UFCW Canada collective agreement.”

A meeting with the new members at Savoura is scheduled for early April to discuss the outline of a first-contract.