Country Ribbon, NAPE reach tentative agreement to avoid any work stoppage

A tentative agreement has been reached between Country Ribbon and NAPE to avoid any work stoppage at the chicken processing plant in St. John's.

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"This tentative agreement means that our proud, dedicated, and hard-working members can continue to make high-quality chicken products right here in Newfoundland and Labrador,"Jerry Earle, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private Employees (NAPE), said in a press release.

"We are confident that our team has reached an agreement that will be satisfactory to members."

Employees had rejected a contract offer from Country Ribbonthat would givethem a raise of 30 cents an hour each year for the next three years, and requested employees towork on Saturdays in cases where extreme weather stops operations during the week.

About 300 employees would have been affected had a work stoppage occurred.

The earliest a strike vote could have happened would have been this Saturday.However, one was not scheduled.

NAPE said in the press release details of the tentative agreement will be released at a ratification meeting, which is being scheduled.