Directions Newsletter
Seventh agriculture unit certified in Quebec
Workers at a vegetable farm and wholesale operation 70 kilometers northeast of Montréal have been certified as the newest TUAC Canada agriculture bargaining unit in Québec. The new members work in Joliette at Produit VegKiss, which grows, packs and ships produce for domestic as well as export markets.
The bargaining unit was certified after an overwhelming majority of the workers confirmed their support for TUAC Canada union representation. Many of the workers are migrant workers from Mexico and Guatemala. With the certification at Vegkiss, there are now seven TUAC Canada Local 501 agriculture bargaining units in Québec.
"We congratulate the members at Produit VegKiss for their determination, and we thank them for their confidence," says Alain Lachaîne, president of UFCW Canada Local 501. "The victory is theirs and we look forward to ensuring that their rights, safety, and working conditions are respected."
Applications for certification at three other Québec agriculture employers are currently awaiting a decision by the Superior Court of Québec.
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This is the last edition of Directions for 2011. Directions will return on January 3, 2012.