Prince Rupert Extra Foods negotiations update

On November 27, Loblaws again asked the Labour Relations Board (LRB) to conduct a vote on their so-called “last offer”, which contains the employer’s demand for the concession-laden NO FRILLS contract. (For details of how bad the employer’s No Frills contract offer is, please read on).

The Union has several outstanding complaints before the LRB alleging that the employer has been engaging in unfair labour practices.

One of the Union’s complaints to the LRB stems from captive audience meetings in which some members were called into the store office and told the store would close if they did not accept the employer’s concession-laden last offer.

The Union also filed a complaint with the LRB because of the employer’s failure to provide financial information to confirm their statements that the store is incurring losses and is not economically viable. (The employer is legally obligated to provide such financial information.)

No dates have yet been set for the last offer vote, but the Union expects the ballot box to be sealed pending the hearing of the Union complaints filed with the LRB.

The No Frills contract, if put in place, would have the effect of driving wage rates back by over 25 years, and essentially eliminating benefits: 

• the substantial majority of hours worked in a No Frills store would be for wage rates of $9.00 to a maximum $11.90 per hour, with no benefits;
• the few remaining hours would be for wage rates to a maximum $15.75 per hour.
• Only a small number of employees, if any, would be eligible to earn $15.75 per hour, and with substantially inferior and inadequate benefits, or no benefits at all;
• Student rates: $9.00 to maximum $9.30 per hour.