plant-gating
pp. Greeting and shaking hands with workers at the main gate of a manufacturing plant or warehouse, particularly by a politician during an election.
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Examples
2003
"Dundas is considered to be a Tory area traditionally. It's where Liberals have to work hard to make gains," admits Brownell, who has spent time main-streeting and plant-gating in areas such as Winchester, in north Dundas.
—Theresa Boyle, “Tories bring big guns to Cornwall-area battle,” The Toronto Star, September 03, 2003
1997
What Libby's really focussing on is to counter that," Sanford said. "She's out at bus stops every other morning talking to people on the way to work. She's mainstreeting in high-traffic areas just to talk to voters when they're out shopping. She does plant-gating, the dispatch halls for the dockside workers.
—Ian Mulgrew, “Hope and fear get the vote out, but this campaign lacked both,” The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), May 31, 1997
1978 (earliest)
Lucien Lamoureux, Canada's ambassador to Belgium, chuckles at the surprise of Belgian politicians when they hear how he used to work his old riding in Cornwall for the Liberals. Plant gating at 6 in the morning, door knocking, mainstreeting, rallies, more plant gating for the 10 p.m. shift.
—Norman Webster, “Is anyone listening?,” The Globe and Mail (Canada), December 16, 1978