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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION

Union blasts XL Foods' 'black hats'

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 10/19/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

BROOKS, Alta. -- The union representing workers at an Alberta slaughterhouse shuttered because of E. coli contamination hopes the plant's new managers come in and clean house.

Doug O'Halloran of the United Food and Commercial Workers union was cheered by workers at a news conference Thursday when he said those who have been running the XL Foods Lakeside operation -- the "black hats," as they are known for the colour of their headgear -- need to be removed.

"Some of the management people have to go," O'Halloran said. "The yellow hats are the workers. The black hats are God or think they are. We all hope some of those black hats are getting their butts kicked down the road, because they're the problem."

O'Halloran said he is cautiously optimistic about JBS USA taking over management of the plant in Brooks. The company, which also has an option to buy XL, operates eight beef packers in the United States with 25,000 union employees, and O'Halloran said the two sides are on good terms there.

"We believe this is a positive situation," he said. "We endorse it with caution because, like anything, the proof is in the pudding. JBS is going to have to come in here and prove they can run the plant. And in order to do that, they are going to have to reach out to the workers."

O'Halloran said the union's head office in Washington, D.C., has already been informed by JBS that it is going to live up to the current contract with XL workers. He said XL is going to set up a meeting with the union early next week to discuss how the transition is going to take place.

XL Food's owners, the Nilsson brothers, have not responded to numerous interview requests since the beef recall began. In earlier news releases, co-CEO Brian Nilsson apologized to anyone who got sick from E. coli linked to the plant and said it is the company's goal to work with the CFIA to ensure there are no further recalls or outbreaks.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says so far, 15 people have become ill in four different provinces.

The union has complained the speed at which the line in the plant operates forces workers to cut corners when it comes to food safety. The Nilssons have said the plant's line speed is slower than the industry average for a facility its size.

-- The Canadian Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 19, 2012 A16

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