The union representing workers at an Alberta slaughterhouse shuttered because of E. coli contamination hopes the plant's new owners come in and clean house.
Doug O'Halloran of the United Food and Commercial Workers union received cheers from workers at a news conference 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 the plant in Brooks. The company operates eight beef packers in the U.S. 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 next week to discuss how the transition is going to take place.
Many of the workers on hand shared their president's cautious optimism.
"Everybody is happy. We need new management. We need all new black hats at that plant. We need it new from the top right down," said Fred, who declined to give his last name.
XL Food's current 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 Canadian Food Inspection Agency 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 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.
O'Halloran said he hopes to see the plant begin limited production as early as next week because many workers will have missed a week's pay and possibly a couple of more before everything returns to normal.
JBS USA said it wants to work with the union to make the XL Foods plant a success.
