Retail workers’ rights front and centre at York University labour conference

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Toronto – April 4, 2017 – UFCW Canada activists recently participated in the York University Global Labour Research Centre's (GLRC) event “Precarious and Political: Retail Workers' Struggle and Union Renewal in Ontario Supermarkets.”  

The conference brought together a diverse panel of experts and activists to discuss the challenges that retail workers are facing in today’s economy, and explore various strategies for combating precarious work and low wages within the retail sector.  

Among the group of panelists was UFCW Canada Local 175 activist Tim Deelstra, who discussed some of the strategies that Local 175 is using at the bargaining table to achieve fairness for workers in the retail food sector.  

"As the leading voice for workers in the food and retail sector, it is important for UFCW Canada to be at the forefront of discussions on these industries," Brother Deelstra said. "The gains we achieve at the bargaining table set a precedent for those who are unionized. Achievements such as guaranteed scheduling, improved benefits and overall respect and dignity on the job are just a fraction of what makes up the union advantage in these industries."

Other discussions that took place at the conference focused on how labour and social justice organizations such as the Fight for $15 & Fairness movement can help combat the rising trend of precarity within Canada’s retail sector. 

The York University Global Labour Research Centre analyzes and discusses work, employment, and labour in a changing global economy, and brings together unions and community organizations to explore the ways in which work is changing and how workers can effectively respond to those changes. To learn more about the GLRC and their important work, click here.