(Toronto) Grocery workers are more determined than ever to win higher wages and better working conditions, says Unifor, which today launches a two-year period of negotiations for more than a dozen collective agreements in this sector.
These operations will begin next week with negotiations for a contract covering 3,700 workers at the Greater Toronto Area grocer Metro, who, unusually, have already voted 100% in favor of a strike if a deal cannot be reached. concluded.
The strike vote sends a strong message, not just to Metro, but to the three grocery giants, that their workers have had enough, said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“We have to send […] very serious message to the barons of the supermarkets that the workers deserve a share of these profits, and that they deserve to have better wages, better working conditions and more full-time jobs,” she said. affirmed.
“We want to make significant gains in this round of negotiations. We believe we are well placed to do so. »
Unifor represents more than 11,000 grocery workers at major grocers in Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, the union said. Mme Payne said the next collective agreement to be negotiated will be for Loblaw workers in Newfoundland and Labrador this fall.
Workers have seen the quality of their jobs erode over time, and inflation is eating away at their wages even as grocers post strong profits, Ms.me Payne.
The pandemic has shown how essential grocery store workers are, Ms.me Payne, noting that several of them received what has been dubbed a “hero’s bounty” at the start of the crisis, only to have it taken away later — something Courtney Cook, a Metro employee in the area of Toronto, likened it to “a slap in the face.”
“This is our first negotiation since the pandemic, noted Mme Cook. A lot has changed during the pandemic, and we were considered essential workers. So I think everyone is just frustrated that our salary doesn’t reflect that kind of status. »
Unifor held a national strategy session in May to determine its bargaining priorities in the grocery sector, Ms.me Payne, as the union hopes to establish a pattern and gain momentum with the first round at Metro. These priorities include significant wage improvements, greater access to better health benefits, eliminating wage disparities, more full-time work and job protections for workers affected by technological change, he said. she continued.
Metro spokeswoman Stephanie Bonk said in an email that the grocer is committed to working with the union to reach an agreement that will respect employee needs while giving the company the flexibility to meet and exceed. consumer expectations.
A bigger slice of the pie
Major grocers have come under public scrutiny as annual inflation jumped across Canada last year, hitting more than 8% last June as the cost of basic necessities soared.
Grocery executives spoke earlier this year before a parliamentary committee investigating food prices, denying accusations that food price inflation was profit-driven.
And grocers posted profits. On Thursday, Empire Company said it earned 182.9 million in its most recent quarter, up from 178.5 million a year ago. Loblaw, in its latest quarterly report, announced a profit of 418 million, against that of 437 million in the same period last year, when the company had made a one-time gain thanks to a court decision. And Metro, in the second quarter, posted a profit of 218.8 million, compared to a profit of 198.1 million a year earlier.
Unifor is committed to getting a bigger slice of that pie for working people, Ms.me Payne.
“It’s really hard that we put everything we have into this business. And we don’t get back what we think we deserve,” said Ms.me Cook.
In addition to a better salary, Mr.me Cook would like to see more stable jobs at Metro, including giving workers more predictable work hours so they can better prioritize their families and personal lives.
She says the 100% strike vote shows workers are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they deserve, and she believes grocery store workers across the country will come to the bargaining table. with the same kind of determination.
Mme Payne thinks the pandemic has also made Canadians more aware of grocery workers and what they face, and she believes this will translate into public support and sympathy as workers negotiate with grocers. .
“They risked their health and safety every day to go to work for a job that in many cases did not pay them a living wage,” she said.
” Enough is enough. We need to make good improvements to this collective agreement, and the determination of our members is very strong. And I think this strike vote clearly shows that they are ready to fight if they have to. »