TERRACE, BRITISH COLUMBIA, Jun 13, 2004 (CCNMatthews via COMTEX) -- Wal-Mart employees at a store in Terrace, British Columbia have applied for union representation with the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW Canada) Local 1518. UFCW Canada made the application before the Labour Relations Board (BCLRB) of British Columbia after a majority of the employees at the store signed membership cards with the union.
"We're delighted that Wal-Mart employees in Terrace have decided to join our union," said UFCW Canada Local 1518 President Brooke Sundin. "Given Wal-Mart's well-documented hostility towards unions, the Terrace employees have taken a very courageous step in their efforts to get better working conditions."
It is not yet known when the BCLRB will conduct the mandatory vote of Terrace Wal-Mart employees required by B.C. law regarding joining UFCW Canada, but Sundin was optimistic that the vote would come soon.
"The employees in Terrace have expressed a firm commitment to join our union," he said, "and we're very much looking forward to representing them."
"The Wal-Mart employees in Terrace are no different than Wal-Mart employees across Canada in seeking to improve the conditions they work under," said Sundin. "We expect Wal-Mart to challenge the application, but we are quite confident about the outcome of this process."
The application of Terrace Wal-Mart employees to join UFCW Canada is part of a broader momentum building against the giant retailer from workers and communities across Canada and the United States.
Employees at a Wal-Mart in Thompson, Manitoba conducted a vote last week on joining UFCW Canada. The results of that vote have not yet been released pending labour board rulings in Manitoba. Wal-Mart employees in Weyburn and North Battleford, Saskatchewan are also currently in the process of joining UFCW Canada.
UFCW Local 1518 represents 26,000 workers in the retail, commercial, industrial and health care industries in B.C.
UFCW Canada is one of Canada's largest and most respected private sector unions with more than 230,000 members across the country, working in every aspect of the food industry, as well as other service, commercial, processing, manufacturing, technical and professional occupations.
Posted by UFCW 227 at June 14, 2004 07:40 PM