Consumers Send 1,000 Letters to Burnbrae Farms Expressing Concern Over Egg Supplier

TORONTO, Aug. 27, 2013 /CNW/ - Consumers in the Greater Toronto Area and across Canada have sent over a thousand letters to Margaret Hudson, President of Burnbrae Farms Limited, stating that they will seek another egg brand due to concerns about a labour dispute connected to Chaudary Poultry, a Burnbrae egg supplier. 

In their letters sent though LabourStart, consumers are telling Hudson that "until the labour dispute is fairly resolved, please understand that (we) don't wish to support Chaudary Poultry and will be looking for an alternative to Burnbrae eggs next time (we) buy eggs at the supermarket." 

Burnbrae is also embroiled in an ongoing civil suit launched by a former competitor that alleges Burnbrae was part of an industry-wide conspiracy to unfairly drive the competitor out of business through defamation, collusion and price fixing. 

Chaudary Poultry of Wainfleet, Ont., produces eggs for Burnbrae Farms and is owned by Akhtar Chaudary.  Mr. Chaudary has a significant financial interest in the Toronto Plaza Hotel where Rehan Chaudary, his son, prompted the hotel workers to strike through his demands for draconian cuts to wages and benefits.

Rehan Chaudary has referred to his employees and their union as animals and refuses to negotiate a fair deal. 

The consumer letters to Burnbrae urge the egg producer to speak to Akhtar Chaudary and request that he take action to end the strike at the Toronto Plaza Hotel and ensure that workers get a fair deal. 

"The Toronto Plaza Hotel workers simply don't deserve the treatment they are getting.  Akhtar Chaudary can help end this strike, but he's done nothing so far.  Burnbrae can help reach him and we are pleased that over 1,000 people agree.  Now it's up to Burnbrae to do the right thing," said Mohamed Baksh, Staff Representative for the United Steelworkers, the union representing the striking workers.

SOURCE: United Steelworkers (USW)

Contacts:
Mohamed Baksh, United Steelworkers (USW), 416-574-8718, [email protected]
Alexandra Eshelman, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-544-5968, 416-570-9984, [email protected]
Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]