News

CTV News brought the following story on7th October, which coinsided with the World Day of Decent Work:



Wal-Mart employees in Gatineau have their first collective agreement, several years after starting the union certification process. An arbitrator imposed the store's first contract for about 150 Wal-Mart employees at the Plateau Boulevard location in Hull.

The employees are members of Workers Union United Food and Commercial.

The contract reportedly gives employees a raise of 30 cents per hour this year, and 30 cents next year. The agreement gives workers more protection when it comes to seniority, distributing working hours, wages and benefits, according to the union. One employee told CTV Ottawa the deal is a good thing for workers and gives them a bit of a raise.

In 2005, Wal-Mart closed its store in Jonquiere, Que., days before an arbitrator imposed a contract for its employees.

In 2008, Wal-Mart closed a tire shop on Maloney Boulevard in Gatineau after its employees received union certification.

Employees at the store on Plateau Boulevard said Thursday although workers were a bit concerned by Wal-Mart's previous actions at unionized stores, the Gatineau location is busy and they don't think the company would consider closing it.

Wal-Mart released a statement about the contract Thursday, saying the company's goal is to run an efficient store that will continue to offer low prices.

The company says the arbitrator ruled that Wal-Mart's wages and benefits are in line with other retailers, and workers won't see many benefits from the collective agreement.

"We doubt our associates in Hull will feel better off with this contract since they gained little and now must pay union dues," the company stated. "We bargained in good faith, will monitor the situation closely, and will take things in Hull one step at a time."

Visit CTV's website and read the story and learn more about CTV News:

http://ottawa.ctv.ca