"The UFCW was certified again last year, and received a 70-per-cent strike mandate in its efforts to reach a first contract with Lakeside, the major employer in town."

"About 2,000 workers were set to walk off the job at 5 a.m. Wednesday, and many workers showed up ready to walk the picket line, only to discover it had been cancelled."

"The UFCW has documents that show Human Resources Minister Mike Cardinal put the panel in place Monday, but didn't tell the union until Tuesday – 12 hours before the picket line was to go up."

cbc story

The workers are pissed, but importantly they are pissed at the government rather than the Union. Oberg will have a harder time than he usually does getting re-elected as a conservative in the Brooks-Strathmore riding as a result. Predict a strong showing by the NDP in the next provincial election, and amaze your friends at your political acumen.

The so called Dispute Inquiry Board is a little known clause in the Labour Relations Code that has only been used once before, 19 years ago, in Red Deer. In that case,it was used after a strike was called, and could therefore not be used to stop the strike from happening. In Brooks, it was used to further help Tyson Foods, the huge American packing plant, stick it to Canadians. First they screwed the ranchers, and now with the help of a drunken Ralph they are trying to stick it to the workers. The DIB has a maximum of 60 days to make a reccomendation (non binding, if you can believe it). If both parties accept, then the first contract is in the books. If either party rejects it, then the strike will commence on or around September 15. Coincidentaly, the middle of September marks the end of the busy season in the beef packing industry, making a strike that much less effective.

A couple of days after the goverment stepped in, Lakeside even had the gall to post a huge sign near the plant entrance that stated 'Thank You Government'. It was taken down later that same day after many workers complained to various levels of management and the mood in the plant turned even uglier than it was before. Complete arrogance on the part of a huge yankee corporation towards the workers who make it about 700,000 a day in profit.

Work to rule is met with termination, every time. The Labour Board is backlogged with Unfair complaints, so there is a huge delay in the system. The Labour Board in Alberta is openly pro employer as well.

You can help the workers at Lakeside by writing or emailing Tyson and Klein. Check out the Union website and terribletyson.com (links in my post above) for details. Mike Cardinal, the minister for labour, also screwed us on this one so send him a curt reminder as well, if you would be so kind.

Also remember that these workers are fighting for a first collective agreement, and they aren't asking for the moon. They want parity with Cargill Foods workers, Cargill being an almost identical plant in High River, AB, represented by UFCW Local 1118. They want safety issues addressed, the right to seek medical attention without being terminated, the right to go to the bathroom when they need to (currently some workers are wearing adult diapers on the production floor as they know that they will be forced to remain at work if they have to go to the bathroom), the right to miss work if they are sick (remember these people are processing your food), the right to object when asked to process tainted or unsanitary beef, and the like. Currently, many workers injured on the job are told that if they make a compensation claim as they are required to by law that they will be fired, and this is no idle threat.

Other highlights of the struggle include a recently 'demoted' member of management being convicted of assault on a Union organizer and being required by the court to make a donation to Leukemia research (UFCW Charity of Choice), management intimidation of known Union supporters, the formation of an anti Union group in the plant consisting of the above mentioned management member, 3 people who aspire to management status, as well as several of the supervisors wives who do not even work in the plant.