MONTREAL -- A month-long strike at one of Quebec's largest chicken processing plants could soon come to an end.

On Wednesday, provincial Labour Minister Jean Boulet met with the union representing workers at the Exceldor plant. After the meeting, he said the union is committed to submitting a settlement plan to its members that was developed by a mediator, provided the company's management accepts the proposal.

Boulet had also met with Exceldor leadership.

The company, located in St-Anselme in Chaudiere-Appalaches, has had 550 employees on strike since May 23.

A day earlier, the mediator had submitted their new plan to both parties.

Mario Masonneuve, president of Local 1991-P of the Union of Food Workers, which is affiliated with the FTQ, said the plan will be presented to union members on Friday.

But management officials said no decision could be made until the plan was presented to the board of directors.

For his part, Boulet said he met with the two parties to encourage them to reach a settlement as soon as possible.

He pointed out that food waste that was a result of the strike had been widely denounced.  

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 23, 2021.