UPDATE: These workers reached a tentative agreement on November 18, 2017.
Ippolito Produce workers are on the picket line Monday to Friday from 2:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and Sunday from 5:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Please join them whenever you can.
Workers are striking for:
Better wages – wages have been stagnant for years (avg is $17/hr) and they also don’t get the same pay as other food terminal workers doing the same work ($22/hr).
Job security – workers told us about a working environment where they are constantly pressured to work faster and faster or face threats of being fired. As a result safety is also a concern as they operate heavy machinery.
Scheduling – Workers want their overtime pay on Sunday when they work Monday to Friday 40 hours.
Sick days – they are asking for 6 paid sick days. Right now they have zero.
Ippolito Produce is threatening to take away the workers’ annual bonus. Workers at Ippolito Produce are making very reasonable demands of the employer: 6 paid sicks days, wages that are at par or lower than the industry standard for unionized workers, and fair scheduling. The employer agreed to 2 paid sick days – hardly a concession given that 2 paid sick days will be the minimum that employers are required to give their workers next year when the law changes.
Support these workers by calling, emailing, and coming to the picket line.
Keep calling, emailing and showing up at the picket line. Workers are picketing Monday to Friday from 2:00 am to 11:00 am and Sunday from 5:00 am to 10:30am. On Thursday, we’ll shut the Ontario Food Terminal down. We need lots of people so we can be effective.
If you can offer support, please email Bhutila Karpoche: karpocheb@gmail.com