fred's blog
Wed, 27 Oct, 2010
Mon, 20 Feb, 2012
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Unionized workers at Oland Brewery in Halifax accepted an offer by Labatt Breweries of Canada on Sunday, avoiding a lockout.
Don Roberts, president of Local 361 of the Brewery and Soft Drink Workers, wouldn't say how many of the 130 unionized workers voted in favour of the new seven-year deal, but said it passed by a close margin.
He said he's glad the deal has been made, although some workers are unhappy. There were no details of what is contained in the new deal.
Fri, 3 Feb, 2012
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Caterpillar pulls plug on London plant
The relentless push by global corporations to slash costs has eliminated the jobs of about 450 people in London, Ont., who had been locked out of their Caterpillar Inc. (CAT-N113.943.613.27%) workplace since Jan. 1 in a high-profile and bitter dispute.
Caterpillar’s Progress Rail Services unit is ceasing operations at the city’s Electro-Motive Canada diesel locomotive factory, two months after Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza said company officials assured him they had no intention of closing the plant.
Sun, 22 Jan, 2012
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LONDON, ONT — A crowd of more than 10,000 descended upon this city’s Victoria Park to support local workers who have been locked out of their jobs since the new year. They came from all over, from Timmins, Sudbury, and Pennsylvania in scores of buses. They came to protest corporate greed and Stephen Harper.
The prime minister didn’t come, although he was invited.
“We need you down here to support Canadian workers,” yelled London Mayor Joe Fontana. “Get your ass down here!”
Mon, 2 Jan, 2012
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London - The fence is up and the question now being asked is: "What next?" Despite the Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD) plant having a long history in London, Ontario, there are fears in this Southwestern Ontario community of losing the large, successful plant.
In a city struggling with one of the highest unemployment rates (9.8 percent) for a city its size in Canada, the loss of yet another major industry would be a hard blow to the area economy.
Progress Rail Services, a subsidiary of giant Caterpillar Inc., is threatening to close the 61-year-old locomotive manufacturing plant unless employees accept a pay-cut of more than 50 percent in some cases. Bob Scott, plant chair, confirmed to Digital Journal that the company's latest offer would slash wages to $16.50 from $35 an hour. The bargaining committee has rejected the offer and Friday a strike vote will be held. The workers are represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW).
Union members, fearing the company may attempt to move valuable, core equipment from the London plant, have been watching the facility 24-hours a day since last Friday. Where would the equipment go? EMD employees with whom Digital Journal spoke believe a plant recently opened in Muncie, Indiana would be the logical destination.
Muncie may be located in the United States but it is a city becoming known for its third world wages. "The lower wages offered in London still top what's paid at Progress Rail's refurbished plant in Muncie, Ind., where workers make as little as $12 an hour," according to Jonathan Sher of The London Free Press.
According to the Working Poor Families Project, Indiana ranks 27th among American States when it comes to jobs in occupations offering pay below the poverty line. There's a good reason why Caterpillar picked the rust belt city of Muncie for its latest American plant. Skilled workers are available there for unskilled worker wages
Thu, 22 Dec, 2011
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From The staff of Beerworkers.org, we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a safe and prosperous New Year
Wed, 21 Dec, 2011
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JUDGING by drinking habits of residents of the city of Kings and Queens, one would conclude with confidence without thinking twice that those that brew the holy waters have been thanked with a fat thirteenth cheque for a job well done: then think again, because you are certainly wrong!
An acrimonious wrangle has erupted between the Bulawayo Municipal Commercial Undertaking (BMCU) which trades as Ingwebu Breweries workers and their employees over not only payment of their bonuses but meagre salaries they get every month, we reveal today.
Wed, 21 Dec, 2011
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Trade union Unite said today (21 December) that it welcomes the investigation, which has emerged from a complaint against Heineken by a group of pensioners who worked for Scottish & Newcastle (S&N). Heineken bought S&N's UK business in 2008 and the dispute centres on commitments allegedly given by the brewer on increases to staff pension plans.
Wed, 14 Dec, 2011
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December 13, 2011
Two Quebec workers remain in hospital one week after suffering severe burn injuries after coming into contact with a cleaning solution at a brewery in Montreal.
On November 29, just before midnight, the two Molson Coors operations employees came into contact with "an extremely hot cleaning solution" used industry-wide to wash and sterilize beer bottles, says Molson Coors Canada spokeswoman Marie-Hélène Lagacé. The burn injuries were caused by a "combination of the solution itself and the temperatures that it was at," Lagacé says, and the workers remained in hospital as of December 8.
Mon, 12 Dec, 2011
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On November 25, 2011, the Muree Brewery Workers’ Union in Islamabad,
Pakistan, signed a collective agreement that brought significant increases
in wages and new benefits to its members, as well as permanent jobs for 26
casual workers
