Unions take aim at Target
Protesters call out U.S. retailer on treatment of Zellers employees
Unionized workers delivered a blistering attack on Target and corporations like it on Wednesday, at a protest in front of the company’s new Canadian headquarters in Mississauga.
“We need to fight back against this corporate greed. We need to build a huge movement to take back this country for workers,” said Motilall Sarjoo, president of the Mississauga Brampton Labour Council.
Sarjoo was addressing a crowd of about 120 people, including union members and leaders of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) and NDP MP Wayne Marston.
The group had gathered to deliver a petition to Target executives, asking them to respect the seniority and benefits of Zellers employees who are being laid off as Target takes over Zellers leases across Canada as part of a $1.8-billion deal with HBC.
An estimated 27,300 employees are being let go as a result of the transaction. About 15,000 of them work in stores being converted to Target stores.
Target, a discount retailer based in Minneapolis, plans to open its first stores in the GTA in 2013.
Target has maintained that it has no responsibility toward the Zellers employees, because it bought only Zellers leases from HBC. Citing its status as a private company, HBC has repeatedly declined to comment.
Kevin Shimmin, a spokesman for the UFCW, said members are not picketing HBC because the legal agreement between HBC and Target states that HBC cannot take any action or make any comment on the issue. “If you’re in the service industry in Canada, this is the fate that awaits you when you have these companies from the U.S. gobbling up the retail industry in Canada,” OFL president Sid Ryan told the protesters. “This is essentially the future of labour in the service industry in Canada.” He said Stephen Harper’s Tory government supports policies that make Canadian workers more “competitive,” which means lower wages, lower benefits, no unions and no pension plan. “Target hiding behind this excuse of a real-estate transaction is wrong,” said Ryan. Anthony Rankine, 31, attended the rally to support his mother, Angela Rankine, a former Zellers employee who has been an outspoken critic of how workers have been treated.
“Target hiding behind this excuse of a real-estate transaction is wrong.” SID RYAN ONTARIO FEDERATION OF LABOUR PRESIDENT
“We have to stand up. Young people have to stand up for our parents. We are the future,” he said. Led by Ryan, the protesters delivered their petition to a Target human resources manager — eventually. The encounter was mediated by Peel Regional Police Detective Bruce Lemcke, community Support Services, Labour Liaison Bureau. First Target sent down an unidentified spokeswoman to accept the petition from the protesters. She sprinted back into the Target office building after Ryan dismissed the idea of speaking with an unidentified representative.
Protesters were then told by Target security that Target executives were in a meeting. Then security asked the crowd to move back because the Target representative did not feel comfortable with the crowd — about 25 people including media — that was gathered at the entrance to the building.
Finally Michelle Lettner, who identified herself as a Target human resources manager, arrived to accept the petition.
“This is a real-estate transaction only. We did not take the employees with us,” she said.
Ryan dismissed her explanation as disingenuous.
“That’s another way of saying we’re firing 10,000 people. It’s very clever but it doesn’t wash.”
The Target Canada office in Mississauga officially opened last week, with Canadian president Tony Fisher and Target CEO Greg Steinhafel in attendance. Singer Michael Bublé was on hand to entertain the new management team.