Farmers Dairy - "Made Right Here at Home" - CEP Local 40N says "No it's Not"

HALIFAX, Aug. 3 /CNW Telbec/ - Locked out employees at Farmers Cooperative Dairy say at least two products have been found on store shelves that are being produced in Ontario, contrary to the company's claim that its products are "made right here at home."

"The dairy is misleading consumers by boasting that its quality dairy products are made right here at home when in fact some of them are not," says Brian Bennett, president of Local 40N of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union.

National Dairy Products Regulations require that products packaged at a different establishment than what is labeled on the package carry a Dairy Plant Registration Number indicating where it was packed. The products in question bear the Dairy Plant Registration Number 1513 which is a Gay Lea Plant in Toronto.

CEP Local 40N, backed by the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour, has called on consumers to support the locked out workers by boycotting Farmers Cooperative Dairy.

"Once consumers become aware that they are not buying local products, and that the company treats its employees poorly, we are confident they will choose to purchase their Dairy Products from a Local Supplier like Scotsburn for the duration of the lock out," adds Bennett.

"The Company continues to state they are prepared to go back to the bargaining table but in fact the only message I have received is that they don't believe it is time yet," says Kim Power National Representative CEP.

CEP Local 40N represents 250 workers including trades, machine operators, shippers, truck drivers and merchandisers.

Workers have been locked out by their employer for more than three weeks now.

For further information: Kim Power, [phone]; Brian Bennett, [phone]