Canadian Walmart workers secure first union contract
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Eight hundred workers at a Walmart distribution center in Mississauga, Ontario, recently ratified a two-year union contract with the company, establishing a historic agreement in North America.
These workers joined Unifor Local 252 nearly two years ago, motivated by concerns about low pay and unsafe conditions. Walmart previously attempted to discourage unionization by increasing wages for all Canadian logistics workers except those who had organized.
The new contract prevents Walmart from giving raises to workers at other warehouses without extending them to the unionized facility, and the workers received back pay to match previous increases. Unifor is now actively organizing at other Walmart warehouses in Ontario, building on this success. Negotiations lasted 18 months as Walmart employed delaying tactics, including limited negotiation dates and the use of temporary workers. The company also spread misinformation about unions to employees, but union representatives countered these claims.
Ontario’s labor laws, which include a process for resolving first-contract disputes through arbitration, and the location of the distribution center, which is difficult to relocate, also contributed to Walmart’s decision to negotiate. Workers believe the contract’s benefits, such as improved safety and job security, will encourage others to unionize.
