Frank O'Leary, striking Labatt worker: 'We are standing strong for what is right and just'

Hello.

My name is Frank O’Leary and I am one of the striking workers at the Labatt plant in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

We have been on strike since April 10 of this year.

I am very proud of the work I do – creating a world class, locally made product for the people of my home province. I am also very proud of the gains our union and the workers that came before me have been able to achieve through collective bargaining. A lot of what my brothers and sisters have accomplished is coming under attack by a huge multi-national corporation who is demanding major concessions in this round of bargaining.

For almost four months, I have walked the picket line with the other 45 workers on strike at the St. John’s Labatt /AB InBev plant.

Every day, we walk the line to fight for a fair collective agreement with a corporation that made billions of dollars of profit last year off the labour of workers like me and my fellow brothers and sisters.

Every day, I have to watch scab workers cross our picket line to do the work that I have been proud to do for many years.

Every day, I have to watch scab made beer leave our plant destined for store shelves across my province.

Every day, I hear stories from my striking brothers and sisters about how they are trying to make ends meet on strike pay, how they are going to afford childcare, health and dental payments, car payments, mortgages, etc… It is heartbreaking.

While this time on the line has been incredibly difficult – we are standing strong for what is right and just. All we want is to reach a fair agreement so we can get back to what we do best. We are standing up to this corporation, not only for ourselves and our families, but for all workers, now and in the future. We are standing up for fair wages and benefits from an employer that makes billions of dollars of profit off our labour.

The show of solidarity from our sister unions, and fellow brewery workers across the province, Canada, and around the world has been inspiring and has really lifted our spirits on the line.

I am writing this message today to thank you for your support and to ask you to please send a message to Labatt/AB InBev executives to get back to the table to reach a fair deal so we can get back to work.

Every message helps!

In solidarity,

Frank O’Leary