Wages-Benefits-Pension are under attack

In the last 3 years Overwaitea has converted 7 Save-On stores to PriceSmarts, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of hours and over 250 full-time positions that would have been there under the Save-On/Overwaitea contract. Unless union members stand up to stop the company NOW, Overwaitea’s plans for the future will include more conversions of existing Save-On and Overwaitea stores to PriceSmart’s, or some other lesser contract.

Why PriceSmart is a threat to ALL union members

Overwaitea’s PriceSmart stores are being used by the company to erode and destroy the Save-On/Overwaitea contract, and unless the company is stopped in this round of negotiations, every union member working in a Save-On or Overwaitea store will be negatively affected.

In the short term, the highest possible wage rate is $6.00 per hour lower than the Save-On/Overwaitea contract, and if you think a 2-tier contract is bad, try 3 tiers (PriceSmart or Coopers). In the long term, members can expect their Pension Plan payments to decline when it comes time to retire, and should also expect to see a possible reduction to wages and benefits before they retire.

This is wrong, and it’s unfair.

If Overwaitea senior management were to have their way, the Overwaitea/Save-On contract will disappear in the coming months and years, until it no longer exists at all.

Whose job is next?
How many conversions will the company say is enough?
When would they stop?
Where do they stop? 17 - 27 - 37 Conversions? Or not until they have converted them all??
At what point do so many conversions take place that the Save-On/Overwaitea Collective Agreement is crushed?

Overwaitea senior management are using PriceSmarts and conversions to reduce wages, and eliminate opportunities to earn a living wage.
Overwaitea senior management is taking away YOUR positions. They want to decrease YOUR wages and benefits. They are focused on bottom line profits, and not at all interested in sharing those profits with the staff that create them!

If the company grows and succeeds, as it has, then so should your job security, wages, hours, and benefits. You SHOULD be getting a reasonable share of the improved performance of the company.

Overwaitea says the PriceSmart agreement is necessary for the company’s survival, but we know that’s not true.

If Overwaitea gets their way, they will continue opening PriceSmart stores at inferior, three-tier wage rates and destroy the existing Overwaitea/Save-On contract.

Union members deserve far better treatment from the company. As a union, we have the ability in this round of negotiations to stop Overwaitea’s threats once and for all.

Wages-Benefits-Pension are under attack

Why PriceSmart is a threat to ALL union members

Sure looks like a Save-On! The only difference is the contract.

Sure looks like a Save-On!
The only difference is the contract.