Workers at the Sobeys-owned Pete’s Frootique grocery store in Halifax have ratified their first collective agreement after a nearly seven-week strike, according to their union.
SEIU Local 2 said in a news release Friday evening that pickets and actions scheduled for Saturday have been cancelled.
“SEIU Local 2 would like to thank allies and community members for all the incredible support the workers received during the strike,” the release noted. “Details about the agreement will be available in the coming days. Representatives will be available for comment next week.”
Workers had been on strike since Nov. 18, 2023, and were calling for increased wages and benefits.
According to a December 2023 release from SEIU 2, Pete’s Frootique pays staff the provincial minimum wage of $15 per hour. Following the most recent bargaining sessions, it was said that Sobeys, its parent company, offered a 20 cent per hour raise or less for at least 70 per cent of the workers.
As of April 1, the provincial government is raising minimum wage by 20 cents to $15.20 an hour.