TORONTO – Beer can workers forced into an 18-month labour dispute are picketing members of Ontario’s Liberal government who have completely ignored their appeals for support.
On Tuesday striking employees of Crown Metal Packaging will be picketing and leafleting outside the constituency office of York West MPP Mario Sergio.
Sergio represents the riding where the Crown Metal Packaging factory is located and where many of the strikers live. The strikers met with Sergio several months ago, but never heard from him again. Over the last 18 months he has never visited the picket line or offered any support to the workers and their families.
In coming days the strikers will be picketing and leafleting at several Liberal MPPs’ offices and surrounding areas. They will be raising public awareness of the Liberals’ failure to help settle the labour dispute provoked by an American multinational corporation.
Community, political and labour leaders have strongly criticized Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Liberal government for ignoring the plight of the 120 working families under attack by Crown.
U.S.-based Crown, one of the world’s largest beer can manufacturers, provoked the strike at its Toronto plant in September 2013 by demanding massive concessions from workers. Crown had previously recognized the same workers for operating the top factory in the company’s North American empire.
Crown has since refused to negotiate a fair settlement, hiring replacement workers while making new demands that would prevent many long-serving employees from returning to their jobs once the dispute is resolved.
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For further information:
Lawrence Hay, USW Staff Representative, 416-807-8792, lhay@usw.ca
Denis St. Pierre, USW Communications, 416-544-5990, 647-522-1630, dstpierre@usw.ca
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