Good Groceries: It’s about fairness
IT’S ABOUT FAIRNESS
What is fairness for Grocery store workers?
Fairness is defined as “impartial and just treatment without favouritism or discrimination”.
Fairness is about treating workers equally and equitably.
Loblaw is Canada’s largest retail Grocer, and they are not treating Alberta workers fairly. Loblaw has agreed to stop age discrimination in Ontario but refuses to treat Alberta workers the same.
It’s time to send a message to Superstore Ontario Bosses. Albertan workers will not accept discrimination on any grounds. We are asking all grocery store workers to join our Retail Members Action Network and join our campaign to stop age discrimination at all Loblaw (PC) branded grocery stores.
Share your experiences about pushing for fairness for grocery store workers!
Join our private Facebook group where grocery store workers are sharing their experiences of joining together to deal with workplace issues. Just click the image below:
Where employees have benefits and can access them
Many grocery store workers have families to support and commit to flexible hours in order to do that. Employees should have extended health and dental benefits while they work and a pension for when they retire.
When employees have questions about their benefits, answers should be readily available.
Where employees have predictable wage increases
Wages across the retail industry need to be improved. But in many grocery stores, these are minimum wage jobs with no clear opportunity for anything more. Wage increases need to be guaranteed and should follow a predictable formula based on the time you put in. Wage increases should not be dependent on the whims of a manager.
Not all grocery stores are the same. From the perspectives of retail grocery store workers, here’s what a good grocery store is all about…
IT’S ABOUT SAFETY
Where safety actually comes first
The health and safety of employees is the first priority at all times, and the work environment is assessed every day to ensure the safety of the people who work there.
Where pandemic procedures are enforced
People come before profits, especially during a pandemic. That means premium pay for employees, enforced physical distancing rules, solid sanitation and hygiene measures; and extra hours for staff to avoid shortcuts.
Where employees are supported and heard
Health and safety in the workplace is an employer’s responsibility, but no workplace can function well without employees who feel supported. There must be sufficient staffing levels to ensure the work gets done in a safe manner, and employees should be readily accommodated for any disabilities or difficulties they experience.
Abusive behaviour towards store employees should never be tolerated.
There must also be an active Joint Worksite Health and Safety Committee that meets often, includes an equal number of worker and management representatives, carries our regular inspections, proactively identifies hazards, and ensures follow-up on concerns.
If these kinds of things aren’t happening at your store, let’s take action to make things better.
Share your health and safety stories with other grocery store workers!
Join our private Facebook group where grocery store workers are sharing their health and safety stories, experiences, and knowledge. Just click the image below:
