From CBC News:
A small group of tire and lube workers at a Surrey Wal-Mart have voted seven to two to join the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.It's the latest round in the ongoing battle between the UFCWU and the world's largest retailer.
The union has been trying to certify Wal-Mart employees since the company came to Canada in 1994. But not one collective agreement has been implemented.
The UFCWU says the Arkansas-based giant is anti-union, citing the closure of a store in Quebec last year as proof. Wal-Mart closed the store after workers there won union certification, saying it wasn't profitable to stay open.
UFCWU spokesperson Andy Neufeld calls the Surrey workers courageous, given the company's stance on unions.
"It's a very difficult choice to make when they understand the kind of pressure that they're put under by Wal-Mart to do everything possible to avoid a union."
Wal-Mart spokesperson Andrew Pelletier says the company is planning to challenge the Surrey vote results in court."We think it is completely unrepresentative and frankly undemocratic to try to carve out from a store of about 250 to 300, seven to 10 workers, and say they should be a separate bargaining unit."
Wal-Mart is also appealing a certification vote by tire and lube workers at its Cranbrook store.
Wal-Mart has 256 stores across Canada, and six Sam's Club stores, with a total of about 70,000 full- and part-time employees.
Posted by Laura - March 9, 2006 04:37 PM - In The News