It took nearly four years, but unionized workers at a Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec Wal-Mart store have finally won their first collective agreement. Although Wal-Mart has 1.4 million employees, the workers at this store are the only Wal-Mart employees in North America to be represented by a union.
The employees first voted to certify the union in 2005, only to encounter years of resistance in the form of legal challenges, negotiations, and mediation.
"It's time for Wal-Mart to start walking the talk. It describes itself as a socially responsible company committed to environmental sustainability and helping people to 'live better'. Those are important things, but so are workers' rights," said Wayne Hanley, national president of UFCW Canada. "The St-Hyacinthe contract challenges Wal-Mart to truly demonstrate that it's serious about being a community partner and a positive force in Canada and the world."
The St-Hyacinthe contract, covering the members of UFCW Canada Local 501, includes seniority rights, wage increases and a wage ladder free from favoritism and, for the first time ever, a legally-binding grievance procedure that provides more stability, fairness, and dignity in the workplace.
Wal-Mart has a history of simply shutting down stores when its workers win union representation, even in the vicinity right around the newly-unionized Saint-Hyacinthe. In August 2008, a group of Tire & Lube Express (TLE) workers at a Wal-Mart in Gatineau, Québec won their first contract through arbitration. Wal-Mart proceeded to close the TLE because it argued the union contract would jeopardize its "business model". In 2005, the corporate giant also shut a store in Jonquière, Québec, immediately after the union requested arbitration for their first contract.
"We're glad to see that these employees finally have a union contract," said Meghan Scott, Director of WakeUpWalMart.com. "They voted to be represented by a union, and that choice should be respected. After nearly four years of legal stalling by Wal-Mart, the employees at this store finally have a voice on the job. While this is a great victory for the workers, it sounds like Wal-mart will use the same old dirty tricks to avoid treating their workers fairly."
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