Edmonton, Alberta - Nearly one thousand workers at Maple Leaf Foods in Edmonton, Alberta are ready to risk their jobs by going on strike at midnight.
Members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union are protesting proposed restructuring plans by Maple Leaf Food Inc., one of Canada's largest food companies.
Maple Leaf vice-president Patrick Jones says the company will close the 91- year-old Edmonton pork plant permanently if the 950 workers go on strike over wage demands and job security.
About 900 employees at other Maple Leaf plants are already off the job in Saskatchewan and Ontario.
The dispute heated up Saturday when picketing workers at the Burlington, Ont. plant roughed up security guards.
The Canadian pork industry, with revenues of $4.1 billion ($5.8 billion Can.) annually, has been facing stiff competition as world demand for hog production has risen dramatically in recent years.
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