MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, Oct. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Unionized workers at Maple Leaf Courtney Park in Mississauga have rejected a company offer and have hit the picket lines as of 12:01 a.m. on October 24, 2024. The 187 workers, represented by the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 175, have been fighting at the bargaining table to achieve a deal with Maple Leaf Foods that includes livable wages.

"Our members are telling us - like so many workers out there - that the money just isn't enough,” said President Tosato. "Maple Leaf Foods is a company that brands itself as a proud Canadian company that is committed to the health of its employees. Its sales came in at $4.8 billion last year. The company should be ashamed at the offer it brought to these workers.”

The living wage in the Greater Toronto Area is estimated to be more than $25 per hour and most of the employees at the facility make far less than that. Throughout this set of bargaining, the Negotiating Committee and the Union have tried to impress upon the employer that the deal was not enough.

"The members at Maple Leaf Courtney Park produce high quality products that feed families across many of our communities in this country. The employer should be focused on negotiating a settlement with the Union that recognizes the commitment these members have to their work, the food they make, and reflects that the employer is truly committed to the livelihoods and well-being of its employees.”

"These workers want and deserve more than what has been offered by the company. They are ready to stand strong on the picket line and the Union is in full support of the members.”

Picketing will run 24 hours a day at the Maple Leaf facility at 333 Courtney Park Dr. E., in Mississauga.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 represents more than 70,000 working people across all sectors of the Ontario economy including hospitality and services, health care, retail grocery and pharmacy, food production, meat processing, manufacturing, packaging, and more.

For more information, please contact media@ufcw175.com