[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Or Ben's Restaurant in Montreal.

For those who aren't familiar, Ben's was a famed Montreal landmark. Over the 98 years in which it was open, the deli was frequented by many Quebec and international celebrities including Pierre Trudeau, Paul Martin, Rene Levesque, Bette Middler, Maurice Richard, Jean Beleveau, and just about every other member of the Montreal Canadiens over the years. Leonard Cohen was known to write many of his songs and poems while occupying a booth at Ben's late at night. It was also chosen by the government of Canada to be the store in which the two dollar coin was launched.

Then their staff went on strike in 2006. The owners concluded that they couldn't meet the salary demands of the union while still providing their customers with a decent lunch for under $10, so they decided to close up shop permenantly. So a Montreal institution which had remained as a small, family-owned business for nearly a century was forced out of business by a greedy union. Needless to say, the 25 staff employed by the deli all lost their jobs as a consequence.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/montreal/st...s20061215.html

That story reminded me of the obscure walnut workers walkout in California . . . . . . . settled after 13 years in 2004.

Striking workers at a walnut processing plant in California have voted to bring their 13-year walkout to an end.

The 600 members of the Teamsters Local 601 union went on strike at the Diamond of California plant in September 1991 in a dispute over pay.
"I think it was worth it in that we did accomplish something," said the union.

"Nobody ever thought it would take this long," said Lucio Reyes, the union's secretary-treasurer.

"The company didn't expect it, we didn't expect it. Both parties now realize we have to work together.

"Everyone should be feeling good about this."

Most of the 600 workers have jobs elsewhere now and many jobs have been replaced by automated processes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4374657.stm

Cowperson