Media Advisory - Unifor to hold virtual rally for grocery workers

TORONTO, June 18, 2020 /CNW/ - In the face of grocery chains cutting the pay of their employees, Unifor will be holding a virtual rally on Friday to show support for the workers.

"Retail workers play a vital role in our economy and our communities, as we have all seen throughout this pandemic," Unifor National President Jerry Dias said.

"The extra $2 an hour only began to make up for historic inequities in the industry and should not be taken away now or ever."

Loblaw was the first to announce it would end the $2 premium paid to workers in its grocery stores, and was soon followed by other major retailers, including Metro and Sobeys.

The virtual rally on Friday is part of that effort:

• What: Virtual Rally for Fair Pay Forever
• Who: Speakers will include Unifor National President Jerry Dias, Ontario Regional Director Naureen Rizvi, Atlantic Director Linda MacNeil and grocery store workers in both Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador
• Where: Hosting on Unifor Facebook page
• When: Friday, June 19, 1pm (ET)

Unifor is leading efforts to make fair pay permanent as the country slowly emerges from the pandemic. The Fair Pay Forever campaign calls for historic inequities in the sector to be corrected. Many workers are forced to take more than one part-time job to get by.

"These workers are no less at risk and are no less essential today than they were before or during the pandemic. There is no justification for cutting their pay," Dias said.

Unifor is currently in negotiations with Loblaw-owned Dominion Stores in Newfoundland and Labrador, attempting to reverse a 2019 company decision to eliminate one in five full-time supermarket jobs. 

Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy, including 20,000 in the retail and wholesale sector. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.

SOURCE Unifor