TORONTO —Food Basics workers at grocery stores across Ontario are warning customers of a pre-Thanksgiving September 29 strike deadline.

“More than 85% of our Food Basics members are in part-time positions, making barely above the minimum wage with no paid sick days,” said Gord Currie, President of Unifor Local 414. “Despite the fact that these workers remained on the frontline throughout the pandemic, now Food Basics wants to eliminate the highest paid full-time jobs in these stores and offer the rest substandard wages.”

This week, Food Basics members are handing out reusable grocery bags containing an information postcard to inform customers of the potential labour disruption.

Unifor Local 414 represents more than 1,400 workers at 20 southern Ontario Food Basics stores. Negotiations with the company are scheduled to resume Monday September 27, with a strike deadline of 12:01 a.m. Wednesday September 29, 2021.

The union and the company remain far apart on critical issues raised by members, including wages, benefits, sick leave and full-time job creation. Most concerning is an attempt by the company to seek major concessions including the elimination of all Department Heads, the highest paid positions in the bargaining unit.

Unifor has told the company, in clear terms, that this is unacceptable, unwarranted and insulting at a time when Food Basics parent company Metro is earning record profits.

“Always More for Less” should not mean More Work for Less Pay!

TORONTO–Unifor National President Jerry Dias will surpass $1 million in total donations raised for the Halton Women’s Place, at the union’s ‘Hope in High Heels’ fundraiser event Saturday, September 25, 2021.

“Jerry is passionate about advocating for change and raising awareness about gender-based violence. We are fortunate to have a dedicated friend and supporter like Jerry who each year leads the team from Unifor to make this bold statement of walking in solidarity so that women and children know they are not alone,” said Laurie Hepburn, Executive Director of Halton Women’s Place.

Dias and his son Jordan have led Team Unifor in ‘Hope in High Heels’ walks since 2011, raising more than a million dollars over the past decade.

“Each year, I raised my fundraising goal to help Halton Women’s Place continue to provide services to women and children escaping violence as government funding was cut, and every year we met the new target thanks to the generosity of union members and corporate sponsors,” said Dias.

Dias organized scaled-down walks for the Unifor team when the 2020 and 2021 ‘Hope In High Heels’ main fundraising walks were forced to cancel due to COVID-19.

“The pandemic made reaching the million-dollar milestone more challenging but at the same time we knew the need for these vital services was increased as women were forced to isolate with their abusers,” Dias said.

Dias is a board member of Halton Women’s Place, the only shelter in Halton Region that supports women and children experiencing abuse and violence through residential and outreach services.

On Saturday, Dias and Team Unifor will walk in pink high heel shoes outside Toronto City Hall to raise both funds and awareness and to call on all levels of government to increase funding to help eradicate domestic violence.

“Without a doubt Jerry, Jordan and Unifor have significantly contributed to not only this event over the years, but to Halton Women’s Place and its mission to be a safe haven for women and children experiencing abuse and violence,” added Hepburn.

WHAT:          Unifor ‘Hope in High Heels’ walk for Halton Women’s Place with  cheque presentation to mark $1 million donation milestone

WHEN:          Saturday, September 25, 2021 12:00 p.m.

WHO:            Unifor National President Jerry Dias and Team Unifor Halton Women’s Place Executive Director Laurie Hepburn

WHERE:          Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto

Visit the Hope in High Heels from Home website for more information.

Support Jerry Dias in the 2021 Hope in High Heels walk here.

Unifor National:

https://www.uniforvotes.ca/faq

Protect good jobs in telecommunications, right here in Canada.

Did you know that telecommunications companies in Canada routinely use call centers, technical support, and engineers based overseas? Despite the fact that major Canadian telecoms benefit from publicly-funded subsidies and grants from federal and provincial governments, they keep sending good jobs out of the country where workers face poor working conditions.

Generations of telecom workers in Canada built the infrastructure that connects our communities. Any public investment should support the next generation of telecom jobs, not fund outsourcing and offshoring.

Add your name below, and stand up for good jobs in the telecom sector

https://www.unifor.org/campaigns/all-campaigns/our-telecoms-our-jobs