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TORONTO — Employees out on strike at Rexplas bottle packaging deserve a share of the pandemic earnings they helped their employer rake in final 12 months, says the United Steelworkers union (USW).
After steadfastly working by way of the pandemic at a worthwhile bottle-packaging firm, employees at Rexplas in Toronto rejected the corporate’s last contract supply that opened with 0% on April 23, 2021. Lots of the employees make simply above minimal wage and commute lengthy hours on public transit to get to work.
The 35 members of USW Native 8300 – a bunch that’s predominantly racialized ladies – have been on strike towards Rexplas since April 26. The employees do high quality management, packaging and transport, and have labored for the corporate for so long as 35 years.
Rexplas did expertise a lot of COVID-19 instances however was by no means shut down. Employees uncovered their lives and continued to work, all through.
Rexplas is owned by Richards Packaging Earnings Fund, an organization that had large pandemic earnings in 2020:
Richards Packaging Earnings Fund:
- Studies $69 million in further income because of the pandemic … however provides its employees at Rexplas a brand new contract beginning at zero.
- Benefited from sturdy income progress even earlier than the pandemic … but provides its employees at Rexplas, wage will increase beginning at zero.
- Rewards its executives with massive bonuses that elevated compensation by a whopping 180% in 2020 … but tries to power a contract of 0% wage will increase on hardworking Rexplas workers.
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“It’s time for these pandemic profiteers to deal with these employees pretty. It’s outrageous that firm executives really feel entitled to rake in cash, but exploit the employees who create their success,” mentioned Marty Warren, USW Ontario Director. “Corporations like Rexplas and lots of different pandemic profiteers are hoarding wealth and it’s disgusting. It’s time for Rexplas to return to the bargaining desk and negotiate a good contract that doesn’t begin with zero.”
Watch a video from the picket line: https://www.facebook.com/LabourCouncil/videos/on-strike-at-rexplas/807160766580143/
Toronto Star article by Sara Mojtehedzadeh, June 1, 2021: In weeks-long strike, employees at this Toronto factory say their wages should reflect essential work
View supply model on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210602005704/en/
Contacts
For extra data:
Marty Warren, USW Ontario Director, 416-243-8792
Thomas De Sousa, USW Employees Consultant, 416-977-7274 ext. 234, tdesousa@usw.ca
Shannon Devine, USW Communications, 416-894-7118 (cell), sdevine@usw.ca