Employees of the last non-unionized cannabis boutique in Quebec have chosen to join CUPE. On Friday, October 26, an application for certification was filed with the provincial labour board on behalf of the staff of the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC), on rue Bouvier in Quebec City.
“After the disastrous first week of SQDC stores, at least employees now have a union they can count on. Our labour relations experts will help and guide them during difficult times like those first days,” explained the president of CUPE Quebec, Denis Bolduc.
This week, CUPE denounced the poor management of the rollout of legal cannabis in Quebec. On Friday, it was announced that the SQDC would only be open four days a week starting this week.
“We will do everything we can to ensure these employees have the best possible working conditions and wages that reflect the responsibilities of their jobs with this new Crown corporation,” added Pierre-Guy Sylvestre, CUPE economist.
Employees working in SQDC stores are earning $14 per hour, not much more than the minimum wage of $12. Simons announced this week that they will pay their employees at least $16 per hour.
CUPE is well established in Crown corporations and will do everything in its power to ensure that SQDC employees have a contract equivalent to those of the SAQ (Quebec liquor stores) or Hydro-Québec.
For any information on the unionization, please go to the website at leplanscfp.ca or call 1 833 397-SQDC (7732).