UFCW Canada Local 401 - Union Logo

The Union for Alberta’s Grocery Workers

Alberta Retail Workers United

 

Union members speak 7 Steps to Organize Industry Facts Your Alberta union Join the union today

UFCW 401 Retail Workers United

We are the union for grocery workers

Across Canada, nearly 150,000 retail and grocery workers are proud members of UFCW. That includes tens of thousands of workers at Sobeys, Superstore, Safeway, FreshCo and other major retailers who know the power of standing together.

When you join UFCW Local 401, you become part of a movement that’s transforming retail jobs into good jobs. Whether you’re on the front end as a cashier, stocking shelves, working in produce, assisting at the pharmacy, in the bakery, or behind the counter as a butcher, our union is here to make sure your voice is heard, your rights are respected, and your work is valued.

Together, we win better wages, stronger protections, and a fairer workplace for everyone. Because when retail workers stand united, we have the power to make real change.

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Union members speak

The best way to understand the power of joining a union is to hear directly from the people who live it every day.

Our members: cashiers, clerks, stockers, butchers, and retail workers across Alberta know what it means to stand together. They’ve seen the difference that UFCW Local 401 makes at work and in their lives.

"Having a union means I don’t have to face management alone. I have support, and my voice matters." – Grocery Clerk, Edmonton

"Before we organized, we had no say in our schedules. Now we have a contract that respects our time and our families." – Bakery Worker, Calgary

"With UFCW 401, I feel like I’m part of something bigger. We’re building fairness in retail, one workplace at a time." – Produce Worker, Red Deer

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Join Alberta’s best union for food retail workers

UFCW 401 wants to represent food retail workers like you because you deserve the protection.

With UFCW in your corner, you and your colleagues can improve your working conditions and build a better life by gaining higher wages and overtime pay, more paid vacations and sick days, a pension plan and benefits, and other major benefits.

Get in touch

Get the facts about the grocery industry in Canada

Industry Wins

Here are just a few of recent contract victories made by food retail workers across the country.

7 Steps to Organize a Union

Video Video

Video Video

7 Steps to Organize - video

Step 1Step 1: Talk to your Coworkers

Step 1Step 1: Talk to your Coworkers

Talk to your Coworkers

Forming a union is when workers join together to improve their jobs. Talk to your coworkers about wages, benefits and working conditions to see if they want to make them better, too.

More on Talking to Coworkers

More on Talking to Coworkers

Start by speaking to your colleagues about your jobs, and what you think of how your workplace works, and what could be better. Start with people you already have a relationship with or talk to often at work. Remember, this should include things they like about their job as well as the things they don’t - unionizing is about protecting things workers do like as well as making change.

At this stage, you don’t have to mention anything about unionizing. The point is to work out if there is an appetite for change in your workplace.

If you’re not sure where to start, our UFCW 401 union organizers can help you get prepared for these conversations.

Helpful Tips

It can be intimidating trying to jump into a conversation like this, so start with coworkers who you already know well. When you’re chatting with them, at work or elsewhere, start finding natural ways to ask them questions like:

“How have your schedules been lately?”

“Do you feel like we’re getting paid enough for our work?”

“What would you change about our work if you could?”

After you start talking to people like this, you’ll start to see what other issues people are having, and how much support you’ll be able to get for a union from each person. This is all crucial info that you’ll want to bring with you for your first conversation with a union organizer.

Step 2 Step 2: Talk to a Union Organizer

Step 2 Step 2: Talk to a Union Organizer

Step 2: Talk to a Union Organizer

A union organizer is a member of union staff whose job is to support workers on their pathway to building a union.

Our UFCW 401 team is experienced and ready to help. Contact a union organizer today.

More on Your First Convo with a Union Organizer

More on Your First Convo with a Union Organizer

We will never share any of the information you give us with your employer or with anyone outside of the union.

No matter your questions, UFCW 401 is here to answer them and serve you. From learning how you can start a union to better understanding all the steps involved in negotiating a contract, we want you to have all the information you need.

What happens next?

When reaching out to one of our union organizers, there are a few key things that they’ll talk to you about. Here’s a few questions to keep in mind before your first conversation with us:

“What are some of the issues and concerns that people have at your workplace?”

“Who do you know at work?”

“How many of these people do you have a strong relationship with?”

“Who among them do you think would be supportive of a union?”

“What is the structural make-up of your workplace? What are the shifts, departments, etc?”

“What is the breakdown of race, gender, age demographics at your workplace? How many languages are spoken on a given day there?”

“Do people across departments have the same issues or different ones?”

Each of these questions reveals important details about how to best set up your union campaign from here. But don’t worry: you don’t need to have answers to all of these before an organizer talks with you. In fact, it’s part of our job to help you answer them!

Step 3 Step 3: Start an Organizing Committee

Step 3 Step 3: Start an Organizing Committee

Step 3: Start an Organizing Committee

Unionizing is about doing things together! A strong organizing committee gives you the best chance of successfully unionizing.

With the help of a union organizer, you and your coworkers will build an organizing committee. This will be the key group of leaders at your workplace who feel strongest about the need to organize. Your committee will then work together to get more coworkers involved with the effort to win a union contract that makes everyone’s job better.

More on Organizing Committees

More on Organizing Committees

Organizing is about relationships, and at this point it’s crucial to start building friendships and relationships with others in your workplace. We are stronger when we stand together!

The folks you pick for your organizing committee will lead the charge in building your union and are the spokespeople for your campaign, so it’s important that you choose your members wisely. To ensure you have the strongest committee for your union campaign, here are some qualities you want to see in your committee:

  • Workers who are leaders and who you and your coworkers know are trustworthy — the kind of people you go to when you have a question you need answered.
  • A variety of departments and shifts represented in the committee
  • Diversity in age, gender, and race that is reflective of your workplace

The more representative your committee is, the easier it will be to continue having conversations with everybody across your workplace. And the more your coworkers respect them, the more excited they’ll be when they talk about your union campaign.

Step 4 Step 4: Know Your Rights

Step 4 Step 4: Know Your Rights

Step 4: Know Your Rights

Being part of a union like UFCW 401 will bring you more control over your wages, benefits and workplace conditions. Companies would rather keep that control for themselves, so they often try to discourage employees from starting a union. Don’t worry, it is your right, protected by the Alberta Labour Code, to start a union. You have the right to talk to your coworkers about starting a union and about workplace conditions, including pay.

More on Your Labor Rights

More on Your Labor Rights

You cannot be fired or disciplined for joining a union. People join unions to get more job security. We believe every worker in Alberta has the right to join a union. The law is on your side. Without a union, you are only covered by the Employment Standards Act – the bare minimum.

When you begin the process of forming a union you become protected by the much stronger Alberta Labour Code – the law that protects union members in Alberta. You cannot be fired for joining a union. Under the Labour Code you can only be fired for just cause.

The Alberta Labour Board is aware that some bad employers would try to fire union supporters if they could get away with it. Because of this, during a union organizing drive, there is scrutiny placed on your employer. The employer is required to prove to the labour board the reason why someone is let go.

When you start the process of joining a union, your job is protected.

UFCW 401 Will Protect Your Rights Under Alberta Labour Law

Most employers would rather not have their employees represented by a union. But the choice is not theirs. Under Alberta labour law, your employer cannot interfere with your decision to join a union. Employers can talk about the union generally but are forbidden from making any promises or threats, or to do anything that might prevent employees from making a free decision.

If your employer breaks the law, UFCW 401 can take legal steps to enforce your rights.

Step 5 Step 5: Sign Union Cards

Step 5 Step 5: Sign Union Cards

Step 5: Sign Union Cards

With the guidance of an organizer, you and your co-workers sign UFCW 401 membership cards or a petition. The signatures on the cards or the petition cannot be older than 90 days. Your employer will not see the cards or the petition.

More on Support Cards

More on Support Cards

Helpful tips

You’ll need to reach out to all your colleagues, and the union can help you do this - we can produce webpages, social media content or printed flyers encouraging your co-workers to sign a card and telling them about what impact a union will have.

Clear communication between yourself, your union organizer and your co-workers is crucial to ensure everyone can make an informed decision that is not based in misinformation!

Cards can be signed in person, but it’s easier to do it online - we will help you to do so.

DO

DON’T

Talk to your co-workers about the union effort on unpaid breaks and outside of working hours.

Use private or quiet spaces away from management to discuss the union.

Encourage co-workers to contact the union organizer if they have questions.

Be prepared to answer questions about the union and ask your organizer for advice if there’s a question you can’t answer.

Discuss organizing with your boss - even if you get on well, this may make it easier for management to oppose you. If asked, it’s fine to say you don’t know, or that there’s no news.

Make promises about a union without discussing it with your organizer. We will try our hardest to help achieve your goals, but it’s best not to set unrealistic expectations.

Distract colleagues from their work. While you can’t be punished for unionizing, you still need to fulfill your contract, and you shouldn’t take unnecessary risks.
Step 6 Step 6: Apply to the Labour Board and Vote

Step 6 Step 6: Apply to the Labour Board and Vote

Step 6: Apply to the Labour Board and Vote

When at least 40% of the employees have signed a union card or a petition, UFCW 401 can apply to the Alberta Labour Relations Board for certification. The ALRB is a government organization that works on behalf of the labour relations community to enforce the laws around unionized worksites.

More on Labour Board and Vote

More on Labour Board and Vote

Your union will work with you and your co-workers on the legal process and make an application to the ALRB once there is the required support needed for an application.

The Labour Board will likely hold a hearing within 10 days of the union's application. The purpose of the hearing is to make sure 40% of the employees have signed either a union card or a petition.

The Alberta Labour Relations Board will conduct a vote if there is sufficient support. Your employer will not know who has signed for support and is not legally allowed to interfere with the process at any time. A simple majority (50%+1) of your co-workers who choose to vote will be required to successfully certify your workplace.

Notify your coworkers: inform employees about the election process and timeline.

Generally all non-management employees at your workplace will vote in favour or against starting a union. Voting is by secret ballot. You only require 50% plus one of those who vote, to succeed!

Congratulations! You are now members of UFCW 401!

Step 7 Step 7: Negotiate your contract

Step 7 Step 7: Negotiate your contract

Step 7: Negotiate your contract

The next big step you’ll take is to negotiate your first union contract, or Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is the legal document that sets out most of your rights, duties, and benefits at work.

This includes protecting things you do like about your current arrangements as well as introducing new changes to improve things that aren’t so good.

More on Your First Collective Agreement

More on Your First Collective Agreement

Some common things we fight for with the support of members are improved wages, scheduling, benefits, vacation, overtime and job security. Everyone at your workplace will have a chance to share their priorities by submitting bargaining proposals and union surveys.

With your new union negotiator, you and your colleagues will form a Bargaining Committee whose job is to negotiate with your employer. Bargaining a first contract is a process that can take many months. Make sure that you and your co-workers remain united during this time and bring forward any workplace concerns to your union representative.

After your bargaining committee reaches a full tentative agreement with the company, they will review it with all your coworkers. You will all have an opportunity to vote yes or no to the tentative agreement. If you and your coworkers vote yes, you then have a contract! A union contract is like a handbook but so much better — because you have a real say in what’s in it and your boss can’t change it on their own at any time like they could with their company handbook.

UFCW 401 is committed to and believes in open and transparent contract negotiations. All members are welcome to sit in and observe union negotiations. Member can expect regular update and communication from their union on the progress of negotiation.

Without a contract, your employer can change policies and conditions of work whenever they feel like it. A negotiated union contract protects the terms and conditions of your employment. Your rights under a union contract cannot be altered at your employer’s whim. It is enforceable by representatives who work on your behalf with grievance and arbitration procedure. It’s a contract! And it has teeth!