The United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW Canada) has announced several key achievements in its 2023 Annual Report, released on March 4, 2024.
The union, representing more than 250,000 members in a wide range of industries, emphasized growth, solidarity, and a notable increase in member stability and security.
Throughout 2023, UFCW Canada engaged in substantial efforts to improve conditions across several sectors, successfully securing transformative collective agreements in the food retail industry, it said. These agreements have been described as some of the most effective in recent history, contributing to what the union terms as “decent employment” for its members in food retail.
The report highlights the addition of 2,500 new members, marking a significant expansion into unrepresented areas. Noteworthy is the unionization of the country’s first video game workers, alongside efforts in the emerging cannabis retail and production sectors. Furthermore, the social services industry witnessed a growing number of workers seeking unionization to better their employment conditions.
UFCW Canada has also continued its advocacy for migrant workers, achieving progress in their protection and inclusion. A key success mentioned in the report is the expansion of the Agri-Food Pilot in collaboration with the federal government, facilitating a pathway to permanent residency for migrant workers.
A major achievement for the union in 2023 was the instrumental role it played in the passage of Bill C-58, the Anti-Scab legislation, at the federal level. This legislative victory prohibits the use of replacement workers in federally regulated industries during labour disputes, aiming to ensure fairer treatment for workers involved in such conflicts.
The union’s efforts across various fronts in 2023 underscore its ongoing commitment to enhancing the lives of Canadian workers, as reflected in the comprehensive details provided in their latest annual report.
