According to the company’s website, the last day the employee worked was Oct. 9.

Three executives say the companies reached their decisions independently based on numerous factors that for some included knowing a competitor's plan.

The UFCW Local 401 union decided to hold the strike vote following stalemate contract talks, despite the recent boom in the essential-services grocery sector. 

The candy, from the Quebec-based company Mondoux, was made available in Sobeys locations across Nova Scotia earlier this week. It has since been removed.

The contract between Sobeys, which owns the grocery store chain, and its 8,000 workers at 75 Safeway stores in the province expired in 2017.

The proposed liquor store will be built on the mostly vacant lot on the northeast corner of 13th Avenue and Retallack Street.

The grocery chain concluded a probe of its Fonthill store after an operator said he had come into work while not feeling well.

Empire Company Limited said it started reporting “significantly higher” sales in all formats except fuel on Feb. 28 as customers anticipated stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19.

The last day the employee worked was on March 27.

Three Safeway stores in Saskatoon, along with one in Regina, are the first in the province being converted to the FreshCo discount banner.