Edmonton – November 20, 2020 – UFCW Local 401 members working at the Sofina Foods turkey processing plant in Edmonton, Alberta have ratified a new union contract that provides better wages, additional premiums, and more.

Negotiations were very challenging for the members of the bargaining committee, which consisted of workers from various departments and classifications throughout the plant.

“The company was looking for significant cost relief, and the members on the bargaining committee did a fantastic job of holding strong to their principles, not only fending off concessions, but securing improvements,” says UFCW 401 Negotiator Michelle Cahill.

The 5-year deal includes wage increases and retroactive pay that extends to the expiration of the last collective agreement in April 2019.

The committee also achieved improvements to annual increases for live haul trips, shift premiums, and an increase to meal allowances. As well, members will see a new premium for blast freezer workers and reimbursement for drivers’ medical exams.

“It was an honour to work with these committee members,” Michelle says. “It was clear this set of negotiations was all about their coworkers and not just about themselves.”

Sofina Foods is one of Canada's leading manufacturers of processed meat products, supplying the retail and foodservice sectors and many international markets. To read more about the new union contract at Sofina Foods Edmonton, click here.

UFCW Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private-sector union, representing 32,000 members working in diverse sectors of the economy, including food processing, retail, education, entertainment, health care, and hospitality. To learn more about UFCW 401 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.

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