Inflation pushes 150 Kruger LaSalle workers into an unlimited strike

Since the opening of the factory over 50 years ago, there had never been a strike at the Kruger packaging plant in LaSalle, Quebec. That record has been undone. On January 12, 2026, 150 workers began an unlimited strike in response to protracted negotiations over unacceptable salary offers from the company. 

The North Star spoke with Benoit St-Cyr, president of the Syndicat des employé-es de Kruger LaSalle–CSN, about the lead up to this unprecedented strike action at the company. For the workers, whose last contract covered the period of May 1st 2021 to April 30, 2025, the main issue is salary increases that will allow them to catch up to the extreme inflation felt in the wake of the pandemic. 

“Ultimately, what we want to avoid in all of this is the impoverishment of our members; we want to regain our purchasing power. Clearly, the main issue is catching up on the wages of recent years with employee raises. We know that grocery and rent are very expensive. This is to avoid people falling into hardship.”

The previous four-year contract signed in 2021 provided an average 3% annual wage increase, though this period would see an average annual inflation rate of 3.46%. This would indicate a loss of purchasing power of over 2.5% over the four-year period for the workers at Kruger LaSalle. The company’s latest offer includes a 16% salary increase over 4 years, with 8% in the first year, and was rejected by a large majority of workers, in light of the real wage degradation that was seen in the previous contract. 

“The offer, which was rejected at 92.5%, it’s pretty clear to the employer that the offer they presented to us […] didn’t work for the members. And they are sticking to that position, knowing full well that the members don’t want to hear anything about that proposal.”

An unlimited strike mandate had been voted on during the 2021 negotiations, but a strike was avoided with the signing of their collective agreement. Stalling negotiations for a new contract in 2025 led to a strike mandate voted at 99% in September, an initial 36-hour strike in November, followed by a 7-day strike in December, and culminating in an unlimited strike in January 2026. Kruger has yet to respond to the unprecedented move by the workers. 

St-Cyr described a membership that was ready for the fight, despite the unfamiliar territory. 

“They are very mobilized; they are ready to face whatever comes their way. This is something new for everyone. As I said, it’s not a matter of course for our union to go on strike; it’s because we’ve reached this point. We held a 36-hour strike to try to get things moving, then a week-long strike, but the employer remained entrenched in their position and is not open to a discussion regarding wages.”

When The North Star visited the picket line, the high spirits of the striking workers were evident.  While the factory may be out of sight from many residents of Montreal, one worker praised their location due to the high visibility and encouragement they receive from other industrial workers and truck drivers passing through the area. On the drive to the Kruger plant, the journalist passed the picket at Béton Provincial, whose workers have been shut out for over a year, mere minutes away. 

Asked whether he thought their struggle fit into a larger trend in society, St-Cyr avoided speculation, but rather pointed to the concrete responses by Kruger workers in different cities:

“Honestly, I don’t know, are these the new ways of doing business? I have no idea. What we do know is that there was a strike in Trois-Rivières, there was a strike in Crabtree, and now there’s a strike with us in LaSalle.”

And the actions of the workers at Kruger LaSalle may influence those of other workers at the company.

“What we also know is that the next ones to negotiate are our sister plant in Brampton. They’re waiting on us. Their agreement expired in September. The people at the negotiating table, once they’re done with us, they’ll leave for Brampton.”

“I know they’re following our conflict, to see how it turns out.”