Ontario warehouse becomes Walmart’s 1st to unionize in Canada after certification

Unifor says Ontario’s labour relations board has given Unifor the OK to represent workers at a Walmart warehouse in Mississauga, Ont.

The certification allows Unifor to become the bargaining agent for about 800 workers at the site west of Toronto on Maritz Drive.

The certification marks Walmart’s first warehouse to unionize in Canada.

The staff falling under Unifor now include workers who complete picking, packing and maintenance jobs but omits managers, supervisors and other team leads.

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Unifor president Lana Payne previously said workers were keen to unionize because they face challenging working conditions, a lack of benefits and poor pay when compared with the massive profits their employer makes.

Walmart Canada spokeswoman Sarah Kennedy said the company is disappointed in the outcome of the vote, and it believes its employees don’t need a union to speak for them because the company already has a culture of open communication.