Article content material
COQUITLAM, British Columbia, Sept. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Placing United Steelworkers union (USW) Native 2009 members at Uni-Choose, Bumper to Bumper, in Coquitlam, B.C., are set to carry a rally on Wednesday to demand truthful wages from their employer. The unionized members have been on strike since Sept. 3, 2024, after months of negotiations and two failed votes to ratify a brand new collective settlement.
Article content material
The rally in assist of the placing employees will likely be held on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at 12:00 p.m., at 91 Glacier St., in Coquitlam.
“The corporate doesn’t perceive, or care, that Uni-Choose employees in Coquitlam are struggling to outlive,” stated Al Bieksa, USW Native 2009 president. “With the price of dwelling reaching unprecedented ranges, employees deserve truthful wages that enable them to offer for his or her households and dwell with dignity. We’re inviting members of the general public to hitch us on Wednesday to listen to from audio system and to indicate solidarity with these devoted employees as they battle for the truthful wages they deserve.”
The first subject driving the strike is wages. In 2022, when inflation hit an all-time excessive of over 8%, wages at Uni-Choose solely noticed a rise of 1.3%, adopted by a 1.2% rise the next yr. The result’s a major erosion of shopping for energy, leaving many employees dealing with financial hardship.
“Regardless of the drastically larger price of dwelling within the Decrease Mainland, the corporate refuses to acknowledge the worth of its Coquitlam workers or handle their monetary struggles,” stated Bieksa. “With over two billion in annual income in 2023 and over 1,400 workers throughout Canada, the corporate boasts a revenue-per-employee ratio of $179,372. So, given these figures, employees are asking a easy query: ‘if not now, when?,’” added Bieksa.
The USW is looking on the general public to assist these employees of their battle for truthful wages and inspiring the general public to not patronize Uni-Choose till the corporate returns to the bargaining desk with a good supply.
For extra info:
Al Bieksa, USW Native 2009 President, 604-842-2900, abieksa@usw2009.ca
Brett Barden, USW Communications, 604-445-6956, bbarden@usw.ca
A photograph accompanying this announcement is out there at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f4e4ac8-f4cf-42ed-be92-b8027b9c0cdc
Share this text in your social community