News

January 9th, 2012

Union asks Granny’s Poultry to put workers health on New Year’s resolution list

UFCW Local 832 President Jeff Traeger is asking Granny’s Poultry management to stop putting the company’s profits before the health of its employees.
Granny’s Poultry was issued an improvement order in October 2011 by the Workplace Safety and Health Division after the union fought with the company for over three years about poor ventilation causing respiratory issues.For years, workers have been complaining of respiratory issues and poor airquality at the poultry plant in the Turkey Evisceration Area.

The health and safety committee regularly tried to investigate the problem, but managementrefused to co-operate. After the company continually denied the complaints, the union hired an occupational hygienist to investigate the issues and, along with reports of studies of poultry plants in the United States on similar issues, a complaint was made to the Provincial Health and Safety Division. After visiting the plant, the division agreed with the union’s findings and issued an improvement order.

“This company has shown complete and total disregard to the health of our members. Granny’s Poultry and its board of directors should be ashamed of how they treat its workers. They know that the exposure of chloramines is causing respiratory issues and refusing to make the necessary changes at their plant demonstrates their disregard for their workers safety,” stated Traeger.While the company drags out the appeal process, the union is confident that once the Workplace Safety and Health Division hears how the company refuses to make the necessary changes, that the long awaited improvements will be done.