A $1.8 million deal has been reached between Heinz and Leamington area tomato grower.
According to the Ontario Processing Vegetable Growers, farmers will receive a payment of $9/ton based on the contracted crop from 2013. That contract saw 200,000 tons harvested last year, and amounts to a $1.8 million payout.
The contract was unanimously agreed upon by all 43 tomato farmers. This roughly amounts to $41,860 per farmer.
In a statement sent to CTV News from Michael Mullen, Sr. VP of Corporate Affairs at Heinz, the terms of the contract required no payment.
“Heinz felt that a goodwill payment would help offset costs incurred by some growers who had already begun to prepare for next year’s tomato crop.”
Earlier this month a closure agreement was made between Heinz and its workers. That deal included two weeks’ pay for every year of service, with no cap.
The agreement also includes 52 weeks of health care, a productivity bonus of $2,500 and the assurance that no layoffs will take place prior to May; with an additional $50,000 for benefits for workers retiring this year.
The plant will close on June 27.
