"Today is the day Loblaws is going to realize it's not going to be business as usual here in Newfoundland anymore".
After nearly two months on strike against parent company Loblaw, Dominion workers in Newfoundland are expanding their pickets to include other facilities under the corporate umbrella.
On October 8 workers formed a "human solidarity chain" around a St. John's No Frills to build awareness among the public and shoppers.
On Thursday, October 15 in St. John's "workers began action at 9 a.m. this morning at the Distribution Centre at 35 Clyde Ave. Donovan Industrial Park, which supplies Loblaw-owned properties across Newfoundland including No Frills, Bidgood Fresh Mart, Cash and Carry St. John’s, Independent grocers and Shoppers Drug Mart" according to a Unifor press release.
In a video at the scene, Chris Macdonald, Assistant to Unifor's National President, says workers have blocked all three entrances of the facility. "Today is the day Loblaws is going to realize it's not going to be business as usual here in Newfoundland anymore" unless they return to the bargaining table he says.
As we have noted before, Loblaw posted $162 million in second quarter net profits, bringing total 2020 profits to nearly half a billion dollars. Meanwhile, from "March to September, during the first wave of COVID-19, the Weston family’s net worth increased a whopping $1.6 billion dollars."
Yet, in Newfoundland 80% of Dominion workers as classified as part-time and more than half earn minimum wage.
Unifor National President Jerry Dias: “These frontline grocery workers have been on the picket line for almost two months. In that time Loblaw Co. has continued to rake in increased profits across the country due to COVID-19 but the company has refused to improve its failed offer to Dominion workers by one red cent.”
Unifor 597 President Carolyn Wrice: “The workers are asking for a living wage but ironically it seems that Loblaw is looking to starve out its own employees. The only way this ends is through fair bargaining.”
