Employees of the Hudson’s Bay in Kamloops are escalating their strike efforts and have secured support from the United Steelworkers union (USW).
A news release issued on Friday says that the efforts of the workers, who have been on strike since early December, have been unsuccessful and members of the USW have launched a new nationwide campaign in an effort to reach a fair labour deal.
The USW, which represented 225,000 members, says the campaign will target customers during Bay Days, urging them to support their cause and “put pressure on management” to reach a deal and reopen the store.
“We are proud to stand in solidarity with our members across the country to reach a fair deal now,” said Scott Lunny, USW Director for Western Canada.
“By reaching out to customers nationwide, we hope to demonstrate the widespread support for these workers and urge Hudson’s Bay management to come back to the table with a fair offer.”
After six months of negotiations and mediations, the union and Hudson’s Bay have not come to an agreement on wages, however, the news release says workers will continue to stand firmly behind their bargaining committee.
The campaign started earlier this week and will see Steelworkers outside Hudson’s Bay stores in cities across the country, distributing informational materials to shoppers and passersby.
According to the news release, the information will outline the ongoing dispute, highlight the impact of the strike on their livelihoods and call on the Hudson’s Bay bosses to get back to bargaining with a fair deal.
Jordan Lawrence, USW Local 1-417 Financial Secretary, urges Kamloops resident to respect the picket line and not shop online during Bay Days.
“We understand that our decision to strike may inconvenience some customers, but we believe it is necessary to draw attention to the unfair treatment from Hudson’s Bay,” said Lawrence.
“We urge consumers to support us in our fight for a fair deal and to join us in holding Hudson’s Bay accountable.”
According to the release, a request has been made to the BC Minister of Labour to appoint a special mediator.
