Rally in Support of Beer Can Boycott Workers

TORONTO, Feb. 5, 2015 /CNW/ - Community supporters will hold a picket line rally Monday in support of the province-wide beer can boycott workers who have been on strike for 17 months. 

The strike against U.S.-based Crown Metal Packaging began in September 2013, when the global manufacturing giant demanded massive concessions from its Toronto employees.

WHAT:	Rally to support Steelworkers Local 9176 members, on strike for 17 months against manufacturing giant Crown Metal Packaging.
WHO:	MP Peggy Nash (NDP – Parkdale)
	MPP Peter Tabuns (NDP – Toronto Danforth)
	Nancy Hutchison (OFL)
	And other labour, political and community supporters.
WHEN:	Monday, Feb. 9, 12:00 noon.
WHERE:	Crown Metal Packaging picket line, 21 Fenmar Dr., North York.
* PHOTO/VIDEO OP:	Picket line sing-along of the original strike song "Stay Away from the Cans", composed by Toronto musician and activist Mike Hersh.

After provoking the labour dispute, Crown has refused to negotiate a fair resolution, instead hiring replacement workers to try to break the strikers.

The workers have launched an Ontario-wide boycott campaign called Bottles, Not Cans. The campaign calls on consumers to buy their beer in bottles and to boycott beer packaged in cans made by Crown.

www.bottlesnotcans.ca

SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

Carolyn Egan, Steelworkers Toronto Area Council, 416-806-7985, [email protected]; Joe Drexler, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-544-6009, 416-434-7907, [email protected]; Alexandra Eshelman, USW Strategic Campaigns, 416-570-9984, [email protected]; Bob Gallagher, USW Communications, 416-544-5966, 416-434-2221, [email protected]