‘We’re not out here for ourselves’: Co-op worker
Saskatoon employees in Week 4 of strike over proposed lower pay scale for new employees
SASKATOON Jenielle Henderson grew up in a family that wouldn’t dream of shopping anywhere but the Saskatoon Co-op, and it was natural for her to take a job with the member-owned retailer when she was still a teen.
Over the next 13 years, Henderson rose through the ranks, from her first job in the cafeteria at the old Westview grocery store to her new job managing files and reports at the much newer University Heights store.
For the last 23 days, however, Henderson has spent her working hours on the picket line, waving at cars and sipping hot chocolate as the co-operative’s first employees’ strike in a generation enters its fourth week.
“We’re not out here for ourselves. We’re not out here because we’re asking for anything. We’re out here so that people who come after us get the same benefits that we do. Co-op’s a great company and we want it to stay that way,” she said.
Henderson, who is also a United Food and Commercial Workers Local 1400 shop steward, is one of about 800 Co-op employees on strike. Between 10 and 15 per cent of the 900 affected workers have opted to cross the line and continue working.
“More every day,” Saskatoon Coop CEO Grant Wicks said, adding that while the co-operative will lose revenue every day that some of its grocery stores, hardware stores and gas stations remain closed, the company is prepared to continue “as long as we need to.”
“I would imagine that everybody would say the same thing, that they want to see the strike end. I would certainly echo those sentiments but it needs to be a settlement that addresses our long-term concerns,” Wicks said.
The labour dispute began last month when 65 per cent of UFCW Local 1400 members voted against a proposal that would create a second, lower wage tier for new hires, capping their maximum hourly earnings by up to $4.36.
While the union maintains the proposal is unfair, especially considering Saskatoon Co-op booked a $12.1 million profit last year, the co-operative says its wages are higher than those paid by the competition and the change is needed for fiscal sustainability.
The next round of bargaining is set for Nov. 29, but it remains unclear when the strike will end. Union and company officials have acknowledged some progress, but there is no guarantee a contract will be agreed upon before the end of the month. Until that happens, part-time employees will receive $325 in strike pay each week; fulltime workers will get $400.
Henderson said many of her colleagues were anxious about going on strike, and while the prospect of a lean Christmas is starting to crystallize in their minds, long days on the picket line have brought employees closer together.
That was apparent outside the University Heights store on Friday, as several dozen employees enjoyed the sunshine and unseasonably warm temperatures.
“Presents and having a huge, big turkey supper might not be financially possible for us … I think that’s not really a huge concern for people. People’s families understand that we’re out here for a good cause,” Henderson said.
The scene was similar across town at the Stonebridge grocery store, which sits next to the cooperative’s new head office, where Tanya Nicklin — a seven-year veteran who works in the produce department — spent the morning taking part in her first strike.
“For me, it was kind of a relief that we finally knew what was happening. I’m actually very proud to be out here with everybody. Everybody’s doing great and we’re all sticking together,” Nicklin said of her time on the picket line.
Wicks said the atmosphere has calmed since the early days of the strike, when the co-operative reported vandalism at its headquarters and some University Heights business expressed concern that the strike was eating into their sales. At least two unfair labour practice complaints filed by Saskatoon Co-op also need to be dealt with. The Saskatchewan Labour Relations Board ruled earlier this year that the union had improperly filed a notice of impasse following a separate complaint.