Ottawa, Ontario – Employment and Social Development

The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women, congratulated Richardson Milling and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1400 on successfully reaching a new collective agreement and ending a nearly two-month work stoppage.

The parties reached the agreement with the assistance of the Labour Program’s Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, which provides dispute prevention and dispute resolution assistance to trade unions and employers under the Canada Labour Code.

Quick facts

• Richardson Milling, previously known as Viterra Inc., is an oat and grain processing plant located in Martensville, Saskatchewan.
• The previous collective agreement covering all employees in the Martensville Oat and Specialty Grain Milling Facility, including maintenance employees, mill operators, shippers/receivers, power engineers, lab technicians and electricians, expired on October 31, 2013.
• Over the past five years, 94 percent of collective bargaining negotiations in the federal jurisdiction were resolved without a work stoppage when the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service was involved.

Quotes

“I am pleased that Richardson Milling and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1400 reached a new agreement that benefitted both parties. This agreement allows the employer and employees to resume their work supporting oat and grain processing, which contributes to the Canadian economy.”

– The Honourable Dr. K. Kellie Leitch, Minister of Labour and Minister of Status of Women