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About 180 workers at the massive Première Moisson bakery in Baie-d’Urfé unionized on Friday.

In joining local 501 of the United Food and Commercial Workers — a subsidiary of the FTQ — the workers are part of an organized labour movement that counts roughly 600,000 members.

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The newly unionized workers are machine operators, assistant operators, cleaners and quality control inspectors on the food assembly line.

Their union has been accredited by the Tribunal administratif du travail after their union contract was approved by a members’ vote.

Usually, a petition where a majority of workers sign on is enough to get the union approved but, in this case, the employer contested the move to unionize. And so the prospective members held a secret-ballot vote on the matter.

The vote was held over a three-day period, ending Thursday night, so all of the shift workers could participate.

“A majority of employees at the Baie-d’Urfé factory voted in favour of being represented by a union; we will respect that choice and work to maintain a harmonious working environment between our employees and the union,” read a statement by Première Moisson.

Salaries at the plant vary from $14.75 to $19 per hour, according to the union.

Issues like breaks and rotating shifts were factors in the workers decision to organize. Employees also work in a hot environment. Union members will nominate a negotiation committee in the coming weeks.