Top U.S. meat processor Tyson Foods Inc. said it planned to reopen its massive Canadian plant in Brooks, Alberta on Monday after several tense incidents on a strike picket line last week.
Striking members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, who blocked traffic to the Lakeside Packers plant last week, will obey a court order that limits their activities, said Douglas O'Halloran, president of local 401.
"The lines are very peaceful so far," O'Halloran said early on Monday, noting strikers planned to make vehicles stop for nine minutes at the main plant gate and five minutes at other areas.
The plant normally slaughters about a third of Canada's beef, and employs 2,400 people.
The union said it expects about 800 workers to strike, while the company said about 1,000 employees were willing to cross the picket line last week.
"It's premature to say what the numbers of people will be or how quickly we'll be able to get into the plant and start our production," Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said early on Monday.
The plant was not unionized for 20 years. Union and management started negotiating their first contract last November but talks broke down in July.
After the company rejected recommendations from a provincial labor dispute mediator, the union went on strike last Wednesday.
Picketers blocked buses carrying employees and managers into the plant last week. Union president O'Halloran was charged on Saturday after allegations some bus windows were smashed, the Calgary Herald newspaper reported.
A spokesman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was not immediately available for comment.
Also on Saturday, three Lakeside managers and the company's former owner were charged with dangerous driving, the newspaper reported.
The charges followed a crash between three vehicles that the union's lawyer said sent O'Halloran to hospital, according to the report.
Tyson's Mickelson declined comment on the incident because the company did not know the details.
The union was slated to hold a news conference about the incident later on Monday.
On Friday, the RCMP were also investigating reports of a fight between some managers and union members.
The company slaughtered about 1,000 cattle on Thursday after dodging picketers by driving employees across a field into the plant.
Tyson shipped more cattle to the plant over the weekend to prepare for this week's slaughter, Mickelson said.Tyson plans to restart striking beef plant
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