What is the food processing workers union?
In Canada, the food processing workers union is the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada). Across the country, UFCW represents almost 40,000 food processing workers at major food and beverage processors like Maple Lodge Farms, Natrel, Dr. Oekter, Lilydale, and McCain, among many other companies.
Is there a food processing union?
Yes. The Canadian food processing union is UFCW Canada, which represents tens of thousands of food processing workers in nearly every province. UFCW members work at some of the most recognizable food and beverage processing businesses in North America, including Cavendish Farms, Keurig, Villaggio, Schweppes, and more.
Are meatpackers unionized?
Yes. Meatpackers are unionized in Canada, and the vast majority are represented by UFCW. UFCW Canada serves as the voice of more than 27,000 meatpackers from coast to coast, working at well-known companies such as Fletcher’s, Maple Leaf, Grimm’s, Olymel, Piller’s, and Cargill, in addition to other meatpacking businesses.
Are slaughterhouse workers unionized?
Yes. Slaughterhouse workers belong to the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada), the leading union for workers in the meat processing and meatpacking industries. Examples of slaughterhouses that are represented by UFCW Canada include the JBS Foods Canada plant in Brooks, Alberta, the Fearman’s Pork facility in Burlington, Ontario, and the Sunrise Farms poultry plant in Surrey, B.C.
What has the UFCW done?
Over the last four decades, UFCW Canada has led the way in making work better for food processing workers throughout the country. Our union has accomplished this goal by negotiating tangible gains that have helped food processing members enhance their workplaces and lead better lives. Some of the improvements we have negotiated in the food processing sector include wages that are well above industry standard, benefit plans that help UFCW Canada members and their families access the health care they need, and pensions that enable members to retire with dignity and financial security.
What is union food?
Union food is food that is harvested, processed, delivered, and sold by union members across the country, most of whom belong to UFCW Canada – the food workers’ union. To learn more about the amazing union food that UFCW Canada members proudly make and sell every day, visit our Great Canadian Food Products webpage.
Do meatpackers have a union?
Yes. In the Canadian meatpacking industry, most unionized meatpackers are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada), the union for meatpackers. In fact, UFCW has a decades-long history representing workers in the meatpacking sector, as our union was founded through a merger between the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America (AMC) and the Retail Clerks International Union (RCIU) in June 1979.
What does UFCW do for its members?
UFCW Canada builds a stronger future for members and their families while protecting and promoting employee rights and social justice for all. By negotiating industry-leading collective agreements that help UFCW Canada members build a better life, our union empowers workers with safer working conditions, higher pay, and free access to online training and education, in addition to countless other benefits.
Is there a food industry employees union?
Yes. Throughout the Canadian food sector, the food industry employees union is the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada). UFCW represents over 250,000 members from coast to coast, the majority of whom work in various aspects of the food industry, such as food retail, meat processing, and frozen food production.
What is the food manufacturing union?
The food manufacturing union is UFCW Canada, which represents tens of thousands of workers in every corner of the food manufacturing industry, from fruit and vegetable processing to soft drink production to dairy processing and much more. Since UFCW has over 40 years of experience representing food manufacturing workers in most Canadian provinces, it is widely considered to be Canada’s food manufacturing union.
What are commercial workers?
Commercial workers are employees involved in the production and sale of goods and services outside of the retail sector. In the case of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW Canada), we represent both retail and commercial workers. For example, roughly 140,000 UFCW Canada members work in the food retail industry, with thousands more working other aspects of the retail sector, while over 38,000 UFCW members work in commercial industries like food and beverage processing.
What is food processing?
Food processing refers to manufacturing operations in which raw food is processed, modified, and treated for consumption, cooking, and storage. According to Britannica, food processing typically involves “the basic preparation of foods, the alteration of a food product into another form…and preservation and packaging techniques.” Examples of modern food products that are processed in some way include concentrated fruit juices and instant foods like canned soup and packaged oatmeal.
What are some examples of food processing?
Some examples of food processing are industrial cheese production, factory meat cutting and processing, milk pasteurization, grain milling, industrial bread baking, and food canning and packaging. Thousands of UFCW Canada members in the food processing industry are directly involved in these processes on a daily basis, which is one reason why UFCW is known as Canada’s food processing union.
Who are food processing workers?
Food processing workers are your neighbours. They live and work in your community and help feed Canadians and their families across the country, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia and everywhere in between. Close to 40,000 food processing workers are members of UFCW Canada, the food processing union. These union members work in numerous areas of the food and beverage processing industry – including snack food production, meat processing, and beverage alcohol production – at companies like Mondelez, Maple Leaf Foods, Lilydale, and Crown Royal, to name a few.
What is the food processing workers union?
The food processing workers union is UFCW Canada, which has over 40 years of experience representing tens of thousands food processing workers in nearly every province, from coast to coast. UFCW members proudly make Canadians’ favourite food products, working at major food brands such as Antico, OKA Cheese, Pillsbury, ACE Bakery, and Maple Lodge Farms, among many other companies.
Can food industry workers get the COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes. Food industry workers have access to the COVID-19 vaccine in every Canadian province and are encouraged to get the vaccine to protect themselves and others. To help raise awareness of COVID-19 vaccination, and the importance of getting the shot, UFCW Canada has partnered with various civil society organizations as part of the Faster Together campaign. To learn more about this campaign, click here.
As the food processing union, UFCW Canada also played a key role in securing priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine for food processing employees and other frontline workers in several provinces. As well, a number of food processors represented by UFCW Canada have provided COVID-19 vaccination clinics for members, their families, and the broader community, including Maple Lodge Farms, Maple Leaf Foods, Fearman’s Pork, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Cargill, and JBS Foods.
