Both sides in the Canada Bread lockout in Langley are returning to the bargaining table.
A company news release said the union “has invited Canada Bread back to the negotiating table next Tuesday.”
“We are hopeful that the meetings next week will provide an opportunity to bring this labour dispute to a conclusion and that we can get all of our associates back to work.”
Picketing members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) confirmed the resumption of talks and told The Times it comes after the company filed an application with the Labour Relations Board to force a vote on proposed contract rollbacks, then apparently withdrew the application.
Picketer Larry Pritchard said the withdrawn offer was worse than anything the company had proposed during actual talks.
Pritchard said the union has been “very pleasantly surprised” by the amount of support they have received from other unions and members of the public, who have been dropping by the picket line to express sympathy.
In April, the Canada Bread Company locked out 160 BCTGM members who work in their Langley facility.
The union set up a picket line in front of the industrial bakery located in the 20400 block of the Langley Bypass.
The BCTGM said the new owners of Canada Bread, Mexico-based Grupo Bimbo, Canada Bread has been pushing hard to reduce benefits.
The Langley bakery employs 200, 160 of whom are in the bargaining unit represented by BCTGM.
Canada Bread employs 4,200 at 18 locations across the country.
It bakes brand-name products like Dempster’s, Villaggio, POM, Bon Matin, Ben’s, McGavins and Vachon.
The company also announced it has reached a settlement with workers at its Laval distribution centre.
