Agriculture workers at Novafruit in Montreal join the union, UFCW 501

Montreal – October 23, 2013 – UFCW Canada Local 501 is pleased to welcome more than 60 agriculture workers at Novafruit in Montreal. Local 501 recently filed an application for certification under article 25 of the provincial labour code to represent the employees of the company, based in St-Paul-d'Abbotsford near Granby in Quebec. In a decision issued on October 17, 2013, UFCW Local 501 was awarded union certification by the Quebec Labour Relations Commission.

The new bargaining unit at this vegetable production operation located in the Montérégie region is comprised primarily of farm workers from Guatemala who contribute to the production of raspberries and 3 million strawberry plants every year, which are mainly sold in Québec (90%), but also in Ontario and in the New England States.

“We are happy and very proud to have the Novafruit workers join our great union and thank them for their trust. By adding their voices to ours, these new members are contributing to the strengthened vitality of our union, while being able to count on the solidarity and support of our local union’s 11,000 members at any given time,” says Local 501 Secretary-Treasurer Mario Délisle.