Fruit workers relocated
Workers at the Summerland fruit packing house will be transferred to other packing houses in the region.
Jan Crawford (Canadian, b. 1958 TBC), Women Wrapping Apples, 2001, monoprint, 91 x 61 cm. Purchased 2006, support provided by the Canada Council Acquisition Assistance Program, and the Central Okanagan Foundation.
By John Arendt – Summerland Review
Published: February 10, 2010 4:00 PM
Updated: February 10, 2010 4:10 PM
Workers at the fruit packing house in Summerland will move to other locations later this month when the facility closes.
Mohamed Doma chief labour negotiator with the Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative, said the closure of most of the facility’s operations will take place on Feb. 20, although it will continue to be used for fruit storage.
“This was a hard decision to make,” Doma said. “Unfortunately, it was not the last hard decision we’ll need to make.”
At least 80 of the 85 employees will be given the opportunity to work at other fruit packing facilities.
A total of 50 positions are now available, with 22 in Oliver, six in Osoyoos, 12 in Kelowna and 10 in Winfield.
Doma wants to have the remaining 30 placed by the end of this month.
The closure of the Summerland facility was announced in fall and Doma said it is part of a change happening in the fruit industry.
“The industry has been undergoing tremendous change in the last few years,” he said. “No packing house can survive on its own.”
Several years ago, there was a merger of Okanagan packing houses and in the years following, efforts have been made to streamline operations and increase efficiency.
Some of the changes include running two shifts at a plant instead of just one.
Doma said the B.C. fruit industry has been getting smaller. Some of the factors include a large Washington State industry and changes in retail purchasing.
Washington produces 40 times as much fruit as B.C. and can produce its fruit at a lower cost.
“We are now becoming less competitive on the open market,” Doma said.
Buyers for the major retail chains are now making their purchases in Ontario and no longer have the same level of loyalty to B.C. fruit.