Union drive fails at Eaton Centre Uniqlo

COO says it’s an opportunity for retailer to improve how it engages with employees

Employees at the Uniqlo store at Toronto Eaton Centre voted Tuesday against joining a union that organizers had hoped would be able to improve working conditions at the Japanese retailer’s first Canadian location.

“I voted yes for better working conditions, for better scheduling and also for respect,” said Jasper Lim, 22, a part-time employee and history student at the University of Toronto.

“I feel disappointed by the results because I definitely thought it would succeed.”

Only 35 of the 120 employees who voted on Tuesday —169 were eligible to vote — cast ballots in favour of joining Workers United Canada, a union with roots in the garment trade. Eighty-four employees voted against the union and one ballot was spoiled, said Tanya Ferguson, organizing co-ordinator for Workers United Canada Council.

Just a week earlier, the union had the support of more than 40 per cent of employees, who had signed union cards, triggering the vote.

Ferguson and Lim said that after management was notified of the union drive, employees in routine team meetings, held at the start of every shift, were told that they would take home less money if they joined a union because they would have to pay union dues.

Employees were also led to believe that they would no longer be able to speak directly to managers about their working conditions, Lim said.

“They created a campaign that was based on fear and they disseminated some misinformation,” Lim said.

Scheduling emerged as a key issue. Employees are scheduled to work shifts that include an unpaid hourlong lunch and an unpaid half-hour break later in the shift, which means they must be available for 9- 1⁄2 hours of work while only being paid for eight.

Yasuhiro Hayashi, Uniqlo Canada chief operating officer, said the success of the store to date has been due to the hard work of employees and that he sees the vote as an opportunity for the company to improve how they engage with employees moving forward.

But there are no plans to change the scheduling system.

“We want the employees to be productive and energized and feel recharged,” Hayashi said. “I would say that working this 9.5 hours works best for not just employees, but also for the store as well.”

He said employees were not told they would not be able to engage with managers if they unionized.

“We were just one step away from having a union,” said employee Chicheng Wat, 35.

“I hope this encourages other people to unionize — not just those at Uniqlo, but others in the retail sector. This is not something undoable.”