What to know
- Employees at five Toronto Craig’s Cookies locations voted to unionize with UNITE HERE Local 75, with nearly 100 workers joining the hospitality workers’ union.
- The union says the vote is a first step toward negotiating better wages, benefits, and working conditions, while Craig’s Cookies says it respects the decision and will work with the union in good faith.
- Craig’s Cookies founder Craig Pike grew the business from a home-based operation in 2013 to 23 locations across Canada.
Toronto employees at popular cookie shop Craig’s Cookies have voted to unionize, prompting mixed reactions about the decision.
UNITE HERE Local 75 says nearly 100 Craig’s Cookies workers from five Toronto locations joined the hospitality workers’ union, according to a statement last week.
The union represents over 25,000 members in Canada and has been acting on behalf of hospitality workers in Toronto and south-central Ontario since the 1890s.
“In a two-week organizing drive, an overwhelming majority of workers at Bayview, Church, Leslieville, Parkdale, and Union Station locations delivered a powerful holiday message to the boss: We’re united, we’re strong, and we are ready to fight!,” UNITE HERE Local 75 said in a post on social media.
“This victory is just the first step – in the new year, we will bargain for our first contract. Together, we will win the wages, benefits, and respect that Craig’s Cookies workers deserve,” the post continued.
Newfoundland native Craig Pike started his budding cookie business in 2013 using his mother’s chocolate chip cookie recipe. He went from baking cookies in his Parkdale apartment and hand delivering them by bike to opening his first Parkdale storefront in 2018. Now, there’s a total of 23 stores, including eight corporate locations in Toronto and 15 franchise spots across Canada.
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In response to the employees unionizing, Craig’s Cookies says it respects the decision.
“Craig’s Cookies has always been committed to competitive compensation, which includes extensive benefits, and fair treatment to team members. We respect the results of the vote and the team members’ decision to unionize, and will work with the union in good faith,” the company said in a statement to Now Toronto.
Online, many people are supporting the workers’ decision too.
“Congratulations you guys! Looking forward to you guys getting a really good contract. Cheers!!,” one Instagram user said.
“Way to go! Let your voices be heard!,” one Facebook user commented.
While others are skeptical about the idea.
“Hopefully they can still afford to pay you all. Expect lay offs – those are legal,” one Instagram user stated.
“…You don’t have a specialized skill set. You bake cookies…Why is it you need to unionize a job position that is basically entry level,” another user questioned.
