A sweet deal: Rogers Sugar union ratifies deal, ending months of labour negotiations

The strike affecting the Rogers Sugar refinery in Vancouver is officially over.

Unionized employees have ratified a five-year contract deal, ending a strike that began in September 2023 when approximately 140 workers walked off the job.

The president of Rogers Sugar says they look forward to returning to full production.

The strike saw sporadic shortages of sugar on grocery store shelves, especially through the holidays, across western Canada.

The vote to ratify the deal comes after the employer and union reached a “memorandum of agreement” Jan. 26.

The Private Workers of Canada (PPWC) Local 8 union members engaged in job action over issues including wages, benefits, and the company’s proposal to increase refinery operations to 24 hours a day, 365 days per year.

No details regarding the specifics of the ratified agreement have been released.

The Rogers Sugar refinery in Vancouver is one of only three large sugar refineries in the country that processes imported cane sugar.