Union hopes to replicate Toronto Metro grocery wins
Unifor will begin bargaining on behalf of over 2,800 grocery workers at Loblaws-owned stores in Newfoundland, Labrador and Ontario, the Canadian Press reported.
The union, which represents over 310,000 members and is Canada’s largest private sector union, executed a strike this summer that resulted in what the union called a “historic” deal more than a month later for Metro employees.
Unifor wants to achieve the same results for the Loblaws members, says CP.
The negotiations will be around new collective agreements that expire this month at multiple Ontario No Frills stores as well as several Dominion stores in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Unifor raising the bar for grocery store workers in Canada
Last month, Unifor reached an agreement for over 3,700 Toronto-area Metro grocery workers after a month-long strike for better pay. The members rejected a first tentative agreement and walked off the job; a second agreement was accepted that included significant wage gains beginning with a $1.50 raise.
“We are pleased to have reached a fair and reasonable outcome,” said Joe Fusco, Senior Vice President, Metro at the time. “Throughout this process, Metro has remained committed to bargaining in good faith and made every reasonable effort to present a serious offer to meet the needs of our employees and our business. Our store employees benefit from wages and working conditions among the highest in the industry, and the new contract maintains those standards. For its part, the company improved its operational flexibility to function effectively in the country’s most competitive marketplace.”
In 2021, Unifor negotiated another “landmark” deal for Loblaws workers, winning a nearly 16% starting wage increase, more vacation time and signing bonuses among other benefits for 1,000 warehouse workers in Ajax, Ontario.
"The gains in this agreement, including a significant increase in RRSP co-payments, signing bonuses, higher shift premiums and added vacation for longer serving workers, will make a real difference to these workers and raise standards across the industry,” said Unifor National President Jerry Dias of the deal.
