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COQUITLAM, British Columbia, Sept. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Hanging 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 honest 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.
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The rally in assist of the putting staff 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 staff in Coquitlam are struggling to outlive,” mentioned Al Bieksa, USW Native 2009 president. “With the price of residing reaching unprecedented ranges, staff deserve honest wages that enable them to offer for his or her households and reside with dignity. We’re inviting members of the general public to affix us on Wednesday to listen to from audio system and to indicate solidarity with these devoted staff as they combat for the honest wages they deserve.”
The first difficulty 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 staff dealing with financial hardship.
“Regardless of the drastically increased value of residing within the Decrease Mainland, the corporate refuses to acknowledge the worth of its Coquitlam workers or deal with their monetary struggles,” mentioned 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, staff are asking a easy query: ‘if not now, when?,’” added Bieksa.
The USW is looking on the general public to assist these staff of their combat for honest wages and inspiring the general public to not patronize Uni-Choose till the corporate returns to the bargaining desk with a good provide.
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 obtainable at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4f4e4ac8-f4cf-42ed-be92-b8027b9c0cdc
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