About 170 workers employed at Mountain Equipment Co-op are the newest members of UFCW 1518, voting to join the union by an overwhelming majority last week. The YES vote follows a successful organizing drive led by MEC employees at the Broadway location who wanted to bring positive change to their workplace. UFCW 1518 represents 22,000 members working in the retail, community health, industrial and professional sectors across British Columbia. ...read more 

After months of talks, the Low Wage Redress Committee announced the allocation of $40 million in additional funding negotiated in the last round of bargaining between the Community Bargaining Association (CBA) and the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC). The funding is intended to address wage discrepancies between community health workers and their counterparts who work in facilities such as hospitals. The multi-union CBA represents about 16,000 community health ...read more 

Empire, parent company of Sobeys, announced strong third quarter financial results this week as the company prepares to pay out about $35 million in buyouts for its Safeway employees. Sobeys owns 50 Safeway stores in British Columbia. In the past year, it has closed another 10 Safeway locations that it plans to convert to FreshCo, the company’s discount banner. “Clearly Sobeys was ready to pay significant money to reduce ...read more 

The Save-On-Foods in Merritt was closed due to a refrigeration leak early this morning. There were reports of a layer of fog in the store and fire crews attended the scene as members were evacuated and sent home until further notice. “I spoke with the shop steward today, and the union has been in contact with our Health & Safety Committee in the store,“ said Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Johnson.  “We’ve ...read more 

UFCW 1518 members working at Safeway will now qualify for MSP, extended health benefits and dental after six months of employment! Trustees on the UFCW Health and Welfare Trust met last October and passed a motion to reduce the eligibility timeline for the Grid B benefit plan, subject to funding. After review, it was determined that there is sufficient funding to reduce the qualification period from 12 to six months. ...read more