UFCW refuses to defend meatpackers as Alberta government approves reopening of COVID-stricken Olymel plant
Alberta’s United Conservative Party (UCP) government greenlighted the re-opening of slaughterhouse and meatpacking operations at Olymel’s Red Deer plant this past Thursday and Friday even as a virulent COVID-19 outbreak continues to plague the 1,850 low-wage workers at the pork processing facility.
At least 515 workers have been infected by the virus since mid-November when the outbreak began.
The plant is reopening with at least 91 COVID-19 cases still active among the workforce. Four deaths have resulted from the outbreak, including three in the weeks leading up to and during a two-week plant shutdown that began in mid-February. Several other workers remain severely sickened by the virus.
Alberta forms committee to better protect essential workers theglobeandmail.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theglobeandmail.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Further amendments to the
Bill 32, the
Restoring Balance in Alberta s Workplaces
Act, 2020, received royal assent on July 29, 2020. Many of the
amendments to the
Employment Standards Code and the
Labour Relations Code came into effect on that day, but
others were not scheduled to come into force until
proclamation.
On February 10, 2021, the Lieutenant Governor in Council issued
O.C. 43/2021, bringing further changes to the
Labour Relations
Code into force and effect. These changes include:
collective agreements may be renewed
prior to their expiration;
the window for an application for
revocation has been changed to coordinate with early renewal of a
collective agreement;
Home - Drumheller Chamber of Commerce drumhellerchamber.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from drumhellerchamber.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Alberta Essential Workers to Receive $1,200 Benefit – February 10, 2021
At a press conference in Edmonton, Alberta Premier Jason Kenney discusses the province’s plan to recognize critical workers who continue to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic. He announces that essential workers who have worked over 300 hours since the beginning of the pandemic will receive a $1,200 one-time payment through the Critical Worker Benefit. This $465 million joint federal-provincial program will reach approximately 380,000 Albertans. The premier is joined by Alberta Labour and Immigration Minister Jason Copping. (no interpretation)