Sobeys employees at a Vaughan distribution centre walked off the job over the weekend after talks between their employer and their union reached a deadlock.
The union, which represents Sobeys employees at the centre, took strike action after the grocery giant came in “with a low ball offer,” that would remove job security, according to a tweet from Teamsters 419, the union representing striking workers.
According to reports by Global News, the dispute arose following the unionization process, which came to be during the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of deteriorating work conditions and poor pay.
As it stands, striking workers are not allowed to subcontract out, have no pension plan, and a monetary package that is the lowest in the industry, according to the union.
Sobeys workers in Vaughan voted 93 per cent in favour of the strike on Saturday, and their walk-out has potential for wide-spread impact across the GTA.
The union told Global News that “each distribution centre can supply between 80 and 150 stores,” implying that ongoing walk-outs could noticeably impact grocery stores throughout the region.
Sobeys told Now Toronto in an email statement they “remain confident that their integrated distribution network will continue to support its stores and the needs of its customers through this labour disruption.”
“We were disappointed with the decision by our teammates to go on strike. We have negotiated diligently with the Teamsters to reach an agreement and believe that we have put forward a fair and market-competitive offer to our teammates. We are hoping for a swift resolution and are ready to return to the bargaining table as quickly as possible.” the statement concluded.
