South Country Co-op Members: Make Your Voice Heard!
We’re keeping our membership at South Country Co-op informed of current events happening with their union and employer.
Recently the employer, South Country Co-op, approached the union in an effort to negotiate amendments to the current union contract. These amendments would take the form of what’s called a letter of understanding, and later would be incorporated into the Union Contract when the parties met for bargaining.
Specifically, the employer was looking for new exclusions from the bargaining unit by creating a new managerial position, and to further create new classifications that would fall within the scope of the collective agreement.
UFCW 401 responded by writing to the Employer and demanding a $3 per hour affordability premium to address the affordability crisis we are all grappling with.
Click here to read the letter we gave South Country Co-op.
We have called this premium the “circuit breaker premium” as it aims to give our members some immediate relief from the financial challenges you are facing.
As the affordability crisis continues, we know that workers at South Country Co-op are struggling to make ends meet. With rent, utilities, and groceries continuing to skyrocket, we need employers to do their part to Stop the Squeeze and make life more affordable for our members and their families.
$3 per hour more in wages will help workers pay your bills during these challenging times. Unfortunately, the union can’t make this happen on our own: we need employers like South Country Co-op to agree to pay employees more.
After all, they can afford it!
Although we felt that this request was more than fair given the economic climate in the province, the employer has refused it. In an ironic twist, they suggested that the matter be more appropriately dealt with at the bargaining table.
Click here to read the Employer’s response.
As an open and transparent union, we felt it was important to bring this information to our members so they are properly informed and can have their say. After all, the creation of these new positions could potentially have an impact on them.
If you are a South Country Co-op member, you are invited to please reply to the brief survey linked below. Let us know whether you are interested in voting on the Employer’s proposed Letter of Understanding regarding new classifications and a managerial position. And let us know how important an emergency “circuit breaker” affordability premium would be to you.
In the meantime, we’ll keep pushing employers like South Country Co-op to do their part and Stop the Squeeze you’re feeling.
Posted on: July 24,2024