Calgary-Viterra Inc. reports that an overwhelming 81.4 percent of Manitoba employees who were eligible to cast their ballots in a secret mail-in representation vote favored a direct working relationship with the company over Grain Services Union (GSU) representation. The GSU has been campaigning to represent employees in Manitoba since the combination of Viterra’s former companies – Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Inc. and Agricore United – in May 2007. The Canada Industrial Relations Board (CIRB) ordered a vote earlier this spring, setting June 8th at 4:30 p.m. as the deadline for the receipt of ballots. Of the 200 employees eligible to vote, 183 cast a ballot. Manitoba employees who participated in the vote included those working in country operations and maintenance roles, with the exception of employees in Brandon, Boissevain, Carman, Coulter, and the Winnipeg office. Some Viterra work units went on strike last year, with the last being settled in September (GM Sept. 21, 2008).
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain