Thursday, March 28, 2024

Victoria grocery store workers win hazard pay after protests, unionization

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Nearly four months after activists and workers held a protest at Lifestyle Markets to demand hazard pay for working during the COVID-19 pandemic, the group has officially unionized and will have their demands met.

According to a statement from the union, workers at the local grocery chain had already been in the process of searching for solutions to their workplace issues for several months before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

See also: Activists hold protest at Victoria grocery store to demand hazard pay for workers

With guidance from the Retail Action Network (RAN), the group had voted to join UFCW 1518 in February 2020—the first grocery store to unionize in Victoria in more than a decade.

However the pandemic began gaining momentum in B.C. while workers were in the process of negotiating their first collective agreement.

At the time Lifestyle Markets workers received no hazard pay for being frontline workers who stayed at their posts, despite workers at other grocery chains receiving additional pay.

This prompted workers and activists to begin advocating for pandemic hazard pay from management at the chain in April.

When this did not work, a group of 20 customers, workers, and labour activists showed up to protest at a Lifestyle Markets store in person in an effort to disrupt regular business and provoke a response from management.

At the time, Lifestyle Markets did not respond to this demonstration—instead, a lawyer representing the chain called the protest an “intimidation tactic” outside of the collective bargaining process.

Negotiations of the collective agreement wrapped up in July and was ratified unanimously by staff.

“We’re encouraged to see what can happen when people act collectively,” said Keira Zikmanis, Employee and Bargaining Committee Member in a statement.

“Now that we have a contract in place, workers will be paid the hazard pay they deserve, move closer towards a living wage, and have the protections we need to make this store a fair and equitable place to work.”

Unionization means staff will now receive hazard pay retroactive to March 8, a comprehensive benefits’ package, paid sick days, enhanced paid vacation, up to 30 per cent wage increase over the contract term, a holiday bonus, and 20 per cent store discount.

Workers also have access to a Joint Labour Management board to speak on their behalf, a retroactive bonus, harassment and bullying protections, and third-party education and training.

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Brishti Basu
Former Senior Staff Writer and Content Manager at Victoria Buzz.

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