Cargill’s charitable giving ‘not enough’: union boss
The High River meat-packing plant that was the site of Alberta’s largest COVID-19 outbreak has made a donation to three local social agencies to help with pandemic response in the community.
A total of $125,000 from Cargill will be split between the High River District Health Care Foundation, the Salvation Army Foothills Church and Community Ministries, and Rowan House Society — community organizations that have been hit hard during the
coronavirus outbreak. However, the organization that represents workers at the meat-processing facility said Cargill’s primary responsibility should have been to take care of its own community of employees — and has yet to do so.
“We celebrate corporate responsibility,” said Thomas Hesse, president of UFCW Local 401. “But it begs the question with respect to the employees at the plant themselves. For a very protracted time, the workers were subject to conditions that gave rise to the single worst workplace-related outbreak in North America. Two employees died. The father of an employee died. Hundreds of workers suffered a horrible disease.
“Those workers are members of the community … And we’re yet to see Cargill step up and offer employees compensation for what they put them through … That should have been their first point of departure with respect to community responsibility if they have extra money to spend.”
Calgary lawyer Clint Docken is in the early stages of a lawsuit against Cargill’s High River plant.
All three recipient organizations are appreciative of the funds from Cargill, which has been a longtime supporter of the local social organizations in the community.
Rowan House is a 24-bed facility that helps protect women and children fleeing domestic violence.
“We were completely blown away and surprised,” Rowan House chief operating officer Timmi Shorr said of the donation. “We have a strong relationship with them but this was completely unexpected and out of the blue.”
Shorr said the shelter sees around 250 people per year. Cargill donates meat every month to the shelter, which takes pressure off its food budget, and has also supported a number of the shelter’s initiatives in the past.
She lauded the timing of the donation as the shelter had been forced to cancel its fundraising gala due to provincial and local health precautions over COVID-19.
Despite ongoing funding and assistance from the provincial and federal governments during the pandemic, 40 per cent of Rowan House’s budget comes from fundraising.
A large portion of Cargill’s donation will go toward basic operations and the community domestic-violence-prevention program.
“The fact this came in at this time was so welcome and appreciated,” Shorr said. “It’s a rare, rare gift when you’re given money that says it’s unrestricted and you can use it for whatever you need it for.”
Jody Seeley, speaking for the High River District Health Care Foundation’s, said the money will be directed to its COVID-19 Community Response Initiative, which supports front-line workers, building morale among hospital staff, equipment to facilitate virtual visits, and food banks in Nanton and High River.
“Cargill has been a big supporter of our foundation for over 30 years, from donations of cash to beef, they’ve always been a really big supporter of our hospital and our health care in High River and area,” Seeley said.
Lt. Chad Cole, corps officer for Salvation Army Foothills Church and Community Ministries, said the organization has served more than 150 households since April 15, representing more than 480 people. Sixty-nine per cent said it was COVID -19 related.
Cole said a large portion of the funding will go toward the organization’s food bank, which was accessed by Cargill employees who were out of work during the outbreak.
“We weren’t expecting a large donation like this,” Cole said, adding that Cargill previously donated a walk-in fridge and freezer and keeps it stocked with ground beef.
“With partnerships like theirs, it’s the reason we’re able to give hope today. If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do.”
While Hesse said he supports the company’s philanthropic efforts, he added Cargill — a multibillion-dollar corporation — needs to take care of its employees, many of whom live in High River and the surrounding area.
He said $125,000 is “a drop in the bucket” for Cargill.
“It’s not enough,” Hesse said. “I don’t have anything negative to say about the (donations). But they need to go much further. Do members of the community of High River believe that this has adequately compensated the community or Cargill’s workers? Has this eliminated the stigma around Cargill in the community? You know, it hasn’t.
“Is this the start of a broader effort to try to compensate people for the wrongs that were done? That would be my question.”
He said Cargill’s relationship with the community is going to take time to repair after the company’s reputation was hurt by its response to the massive COVID -19 outbreak.
“If it’s repairable at all,” Hesse said. “How do they restore the trust of their employees and the people who live in High River? How do they restore that trust? Can it be restored? It certainly can’t be restored with (the recent charitable donations) and I’m confident it isn’t.”