Nine Wal Mart employees went to work in Gatineau today with something that not one 1.3 million North American counterparts has: A collective agreement.
It took three years, and a ruling by an arbitrator, but now the workers at the Wal Mart Tire and Lube Express Centre - represented by UFCW’s Local 486 - will see increased wages, salary for statutory holidays worked and more generous vacations.
“My hat is off to these employees, and the organizers involved,” said CUPE National President Paul Moist. “This small step represents a giant leap forward against this corporation’s anti-labour practices. CUPE applauds the Quebec Labour Relations
Board for their decision on this matter.”
In 2005 the UFCW successfully organized employees at a Wal-Mart store in Jonquière, Quebec. Wal-Mart shut the outlet down before a collective agreement could be put in place.
For more information about Wal Mart’s impact on the economy and the environment, see Knowmore.org and Walmartwatch.com
