The head of an association representing Quebec chicken producers says it is unacceptable that one million chickens have been euthanized during an extended labour dispute at a slaughterhouse near Quebec City.
The Exceldor co-operative closed its slaughterhouse in St-Ans猫lme, Que., south of the provincial capital, on May 23 due to a strike, leaving few options for chicken producers.
Pierre-Luc Leblanc, president of Les 脡leveurs de Volailles du Qu茅bec 香蕉视频直播� the province香蕉视频直播檚 association of chicken producers 香蕉视频直播� said he香蕉视频直播檚 never received as many calls and messages from members as in the past few weeks, unsure of how to handle the situation.
香蕉视频直播淧eople are telling me they are offended, mad and sad,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not an easy situation because there香蕉视频直播檚 not a lot of solutions for us.香蕉视频直播�
Leblanc香蕉视频直播檚 association represents more than 700 producers, mostly family-run businesses, who operate within strict guidelines.
香蕉视频直播淭here are rules for producers: when you transport the chickens, you are allowed to have only one per cent rate mortality. If you go beyond that, you can get a fine for animal cruelty,香蕉视频直播� Leblanc said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut right now, we are allowing that many chickens to be killed.香蕉视频直播�
Both the union and the company have confirmed the one million discarded chickens would have provided up to four million meals.
The union said the strike has forced Quebec producers to send euthanized chickens either to waste sites or to a rendering plant, where they can be transformed into products not for human consumption.
Exceldor spokesman Jordan Ouellet said the company tried to send as many chickens as possible to other slaughterhouses in Quebec or Ontario.
香蕉视频直播淭he problem is that at one point, after 35 days, when chickens reach a certain weight, they are ready to be transformed,香蕉视频直播� Ouellet said. 香蕉视频直播淏ut beyond that, they continue to grow and infrastructures are not made for those sizes.香蕉视频直播�
Premier Fran莽ois Legault described the situation in a Facebook post on Wednesday as a 香蕉视频直播渟hame that needs to stop.香蕉视频直播�
Legault urged both sides to take up the province on its offer of an arbitrator to help resolve the matter, noting that the waste amounts to 13 per cent of the province香蕉视频直播檚 chicken production being thrown in the garbage.
香蕉视频直播淲orkers have the right to strike and employers have the right to lockout. But we shouldn香蕉视频直播檛 be allowed to waste huge amounts of food so stupidly. It香蕉视频直播檚 indecent,香蕉视频直播� Legault said.
The company and the union representing its striking employees continued talks Thursday.
Exceldor welcomed Quebec香蕉视频直播檚 offer, first made Tuesday by Labour Minister Jean Boulet, but the union has refused, saying it would prefer to continue with negotiations with a conciliator rather than have a third party impose a collective agreement.
Workers at the slaughterhouse have been without a contract since July 2020 and have been on strike for more than three weeks, with salaries and working conditions key sticking points.
香蕉视频直播淲e have to give the conciliation process a chance,香蕉视频直播� said Roxane Larouche, spokeswoman for the United Food and Commercial Workers union. 香蕉视频直播淥f course, we are sensitive to food waste, there is no one who wants that. But it is the employer香蕉视频直播檚 responsibility.香蕉视频直播�
Boulet agreed in an interview Thursday that the large rate of euthanasia and food waste was making the situation even more urgent, but was confident both sides understand the human and social repercussions and hoped they will soon find common ground.
香蕉视频直播擵irginie Ann, The Canadian Press
