ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — In the mostly empty parking lot of Dominion on Stavanger Drive in St. John’s, striking workers joined together to chant, “One day longer, one day stronger,” and, “So, so, so, solidarity,” as they joined Unifor members from across Canada in a virtual rally streamed live on Facebook on Monday.
It was the latest strike action in an ongoing dispute with Loblaw Companies Ltd., which owns Dominion stores and more than 20 other retail operations. The strike has now lasted 17 days.
Across the country, Unifor members picketed in front of Loblaw-owned stores, handing out leaflets that addressed the situation in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Tom Stockley works in the meat department and has been working with Dominion for 36 years. When he started in 1984, he was making $4 an hour, he said. Three years later, he was making $9.35 an hour.
"(Then), Loblaw took over, and in 33 years, my wages have gone up slightly over 10 bucks (an hour),” he said. “I’m 55 now. I should be able to retire and afford to live, but if I walk away tomorrow, my pension is half what I’m making.”
Stockley said the current offer of a $1 increase in wages over a three-year period is “pitiful.”
“They clawed back that pandemic money and they’re saying as far as they’re concerned it’s over with,” he said.
“This is just the start of it. Retail people, as far as I’m concerned, should get more respect.”
"In 33 years, my wages have gone up slightly over 10 bucks (an hour). I’m 55 now. I should be able to retire and afford to live, but if I walk away tomorrow, my pension is half what I’m making.” — Tom Stockley
A letter recently sent to unionized employees of Dominion from Loblaw vice-president of operations for Atlantic Canada, Mike Doucette, stated striking would not result in an improved offer.
Stockley said he takes that as a threat.
“It’s not fair. … People in retail deserve more,” Stockley said.
Linda MacNeil, the Atlantic regional director for Unifor, was at the Stavanger Drive rally, and says the strike in Newfoundland and Labrador is an example of how retail workers are treated across the country.
“Big corporate giants try to give as little as they can while they’re making billions in profit,” MacNeil said.
Doucette, in his letter to employees, said Dominion stores make less than $2 profit for every $100 of product sold, the other $98 going to wages and other costs. He said a $2 increase in wages is not realistic.
MacNeil said she doesn't believe that is true.
“When you look at the amount of profit they’ve made, particularly during the pandemic, I have to say I don’t buy that,” MacNeil said. “You don’t become a billionaire on two per cent profit, so I don’t really believe that to be fact.”
Ideally, MacNeil said, a wage below $15 an hour shouldn’t exist.
“To expect anybody to live off of that, of course, would be challenging,” she said. “However, in this case, at the very least, they should have not taken away the pandemic pay (of an extra $2 an hour).”
The leaflets being handed out said the issues Unifor want to be addressed are the pandemic premium that ended in July, the lack of full-time employees and the fact that 75 per cent of Dominion workers make less than $15 an hour.
“They also continue the practice of relying on part-time workers, who have little access to benefits,” the leaflet states.
Mark Boudreau, director of corporate affairs for Loblaw Atlantic, told The Telegram the company will not comment to reporters during the strike.
