Algoma District, Ont. – September 12, 2020 – Following a three-week organizing campaign, workers at Bee-Clean Building Maintenance in Ontario’s Algoma District are the newest members of UFCW Locals 175 & 633 after voting overwhelmingly to join the union.

The crew and cleaners at Bee-Clean joined the union to help secure better working conditions – from wages and benefits, to health and safety, to job security and more.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, it became apparent to many of the employees at Bee-Clean that their voices were not being heard. As the amount of work the employer tasked them with increased, employees received no additional compensation. In addition, the employer allocated wage rates inconsistently and employees had no clear trajectory for job advancement or guaranteed increases.

Through negotiating their first collective agreement as union members, the employees at Bee-Clean look forward to achieving better health and safety provisions – including proper personal protective equipment (PPE) – as well as a process for discipline, steward representation, and a grievance procedure. And in addition to standardizing and improving wages, the employees hope to achieve health benefits and a pension.

The breakthrough union victory at Bee-Clean Building Maintenance means that UFCW 175 & 633 are welcoming 50 maintenance workers to the union, including Bee-Clean employees in Wawa, Blind River, Spanish, and Sault Ste. Marie. To read more about the winning unionization campaign at Bee-Clean, click here.

UFCW Canada Locals 175 & 633 represent more than 70,000 hard-working Ontarians in almost every sector of the economy. To learn more about the outstanding work of UFCW 175 & 633, visit their website.

How can I join the union?

Are you a non-unionized worker who would like to enjoy the benefits of a UFCW Canada collective agreement? Do you and your co-workers want to gain the union advantage at work? Join Canada’s best union, UFCW Canada, to make your workplace better today. Click here to join the union now.