Striking Hudson’s Bay workers mobilize nationwide campaign to end strike and secure fair deal
April 26 2024 - 3:32PM
Workers of the Hudson’s Bay in Kamloops, B.C., have escalated their
efforts to end the ongoing strike that began on Dec. 10, 2023. In a
bold move, members of the United Steelworkers union (USW) have
launched a nationwide campaign targeting customers during Bay Days,
urging them to support their cause and put pressure on management
to reach a fair deal and reopen the Kamloops store.
Since the commencement of the strike, Hudson’s Bay workers have
stood firmly behind their bargaining committee for better wages and
improved working conditions. Despite six months of negotiations and
mediation, the union and Hudson’s Bay remain apart on wages,
prompting workers to take their message directly to shoppers.
“We are proud to stand in solidarity with our members across the
country to reach a fair deal now,” said Scott Lunny, USW Director
for Western Canada. “By reaching out to customers nationwide, we
hope to demonstrate the widespread support for these workers and
urge Hudson’s Bay management to come back to the table with a fair
offer.”
The campaign, that commenced earlier this week, will continue to
see Steelworkers outside Hudson’s Bay stores in various cities,
distributing informational materials to shoppers and passersby.
These materials outline the ongoing dispute, highlight the impact
of the strike on their livelihoods and call on the Hudson’s Bay
bosses to get back to the bargaining with a fair deal.
“We understand that our decision to strike may inconvenience
some customers, but we believe it is necessary to draw attention to
the unfair treatment from Hudson’s Bay,” said Jordan Lawrence, USW
Local 1-417 Financial Secretary. “We urge consumers to support us
in our fight for a fair deal and to join us in holding Hudson’s Bay
accountable. To the residents of Kamloops – please respect our
picket line by not shopping online during Bay Days.”
The USW’s nationwide campaign represents a significant
escalation in the ongoing dispute between Hudson’s Bay management
and its employees. With public support growing, a request to the
B.C. Minister of Labour to appoint a special mediator and pressure
mounting on the company to act, workers remain hopeful that a
resolution can be reached that addresses their concerns and brings
an end to the strike.
The Hudson’s Bay in Kamloops has been a unionized worksite since
1993. The workers’ only labour dispute was over their first
collective agreement and lasted nine months.
The USW represents 225,000 members in nearly every economic
sector across Canada and is the largest private-sector Union in
North America, with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States
and the Caribbean.
Each year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because
of our strong track record in creating healthier, safer and more
respectful workplaces and negotiating better working conditions and
fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and
pensions.
For more information:Jordan Lawrence, USW Local
1-417 financial secretary, 250-318-7668, lawrenceusw@telus.netScott
Lunny, USW Director for Western Canada, 604-329-5308,
slunny@usw.caBrett Barden, USW Communications, 604-445-6956,
bbarden@usw.ca
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
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