For decades, unions have been the backbone of the Canadian labour market, pushing for changes to improve the lives of workers and helping to shape the way Canada does business today. By helping more workers make decent wages, with more job security, unions are largely responsible for stabilizing the economy and stimulating its growth.
These days, nearly 30 per cent of workers across Canada belong to unions – people who work in health care, teachers, journalists, as well as employees who work in more traditionally unionized jobs like retail, manufacturing and trades. In total, that’s about four million Canadian workers.
With more than 250,000 members, UFCW Canada is the country’s leading private sector union. It’s one of Canada’s most experienced, respected and youthful unions, with nearly half of all UFCW Canada members under the age of 30.
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“We believe that unions are the future of work,” says Paul Meinema, National President of UFCW Canada, adding there is renewed enthusiasm among younger workers for unions.
“If you’re looking at what younger workers want in the future of work, they want union representation; they want the benefits that they can receive from that. It gives them the sense of community and togetherness, and they know they will always have an advocate for them in the union.”
One of the things that makes UFCW Canada unique is that it has the greatest proportion of young workers in its membership, thanks in part to the union’s strong presence in industries where many young workers are. Many of their members work in food processing, cannabis, hospitality and retail.
Workers in emerging industries such as the cannabis sector are unionizing to help find recourse in the workplace. “I kept bringing up problems (to management) and being told that ‘We don't have the money to fix that right now.’ As soon as we unionized, suddenly the money appeared!” says Kate, a UFCW member and a cannabis worker in Victoria, B.C. “Now we can say to our employer that 'I am being treated unfairly' and not worry about repercussions or being fired.”
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Union representation helps ensure that health and safety regulations are enforced in the workplace. Graeme is a hospitality worker on Church St. in Toronto and a UFCW member. He describes a scenario where, before unionizing, the fire code was consistently ignored on Pride weekend. “This year, for the first time, the capacity limit was respected, and nobody got yelled at for trying to follow the law,” says Graeme. “It was an immediate, dramatic change from what all of us had endured for years.
“We made this choice to come together, and we have the support of our UFCW reps.” Graeme offers advice to workers looking to improve their workplaces: "Reach out to your co-workers," he says. “Just use that as an opportunity to get people talking and see what solutions you can come up with together.”
In addition to being one of the most youthful unions in the country, UFCW is also one of Canada’s most diverse unions, representing workers in every aspect of the food chain, as well as health care, security, non-food manufacturing, office and professional, and other key sectors of the economy.
By joining the union, you can gain the union advantage and become an important part of Canada’s leading and most progressive employee rights and social justice organization.
“UFCW represents a huge variety of industries across the country, and we can represent you,” says Meinema. “And, by organizing your workplaces, you’re not just doing something that’s better for you, but for everyone. With a union, you’re not leaving to get a better job for yourself; you’re making your existing workplace better for you and your co-workers.
“A big part of the public perception that’s changing is that people want to know that they have a voice, they have an advocate, and that they have someone standing up for them, and that’s really what UFCW can provide for members.”
