The relationship between managers and workers at Old Dutch Potato Chips here in Calgary has gone stale. Management walked away from the negotiating table after the union’s first offer. On March 29, 2009, management locked out 170 unionized workers who belong to the United Food and Commercial Workers of Canada (UFCW) Local 401. Union spokeperson Joe Attwood states that management “wants the union out of here”. Everybody's favourite flavour has left a sour taste in it's workers’ mouths.


 
Workers are ruffled by inconsistent work shifts. Not knowing from one week to the next how many hours you are going to be working is stressful. It makes budgeting and scheduling life outside of work extremely difficult. To create stability, workers are asking for a guarantee of at least 32 hours per week.

Inadequate sick leave provisions are putting the public’s health at risk. There is a culture of coming to work even when ill because workers’ cannot afford to miss a pay day. Workers are asking to be paid during sick days, something salary workers take for granted.

As we’ve seen with public health scares like Listeriosis, relying on management to ensure that health standards are met is not adequate. Workers want to work with management to create an acceptable health safety policy. 

The average Old Dutch factory worker earns $16 per hour. Workers are asking for a 35 cent per hour raise. Thus far management is refusing to dip into profits and share with workers.

The final concern is union dues. Currently the union can only deduct union dues from members. Alberta is one of only 2 provinces in Canada that allow this. About 80% of workers at Old Dutch in Calgary are unionized. The 20% of non-unionized workers piggyback off the union. Workers are asking that union dues be automatically deducted from all Old Dutch workers.

The lockout has lasted 93 days now, but the workers are still chipper. They know that without the union their hours would be more sporadic and their wages would be put through the slicer.

It seems that Old Dutch is using the recession as a bargaining chip to break the union. Chips though are not something consumers cut back much on during economic downturns. Old Dutch, even during the recession, is still profitable.

Taking a bite out of corporate profits is the only message that this corporate potato understands. For the duration of the lockout, chip in and help. When you got the munchies, keep your paws off the following potato chip brands: Old Dutch, Great Value, President's Choice, and No Name. To create a ripple effect, spread the word.



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