Description

After owner Canada Packers announced a decision to close down the Willow's Farms poultry processing plant in Clearbrook rather than accept a pattern-setting collective agreement, the 112 workers, members of the Canadian Food and Allied Workers Union, occupied the plant. The occupation had the backing of the B.C. Federation of Labour, which called on the provincial government to take over the operation and make it part of Panco Poultry, a publicly-owned company. The occupation came down after 36 days when another company, Maplewood Processors, took over the operation together with the contentious collective agreement. Photo shows CFAWU business agent Ross Bremner (centre).