Union ramping up Wal-Mart drive

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/business/story.html?id=3feb9fac-b2cf-4b63-b1b3-43f0fa7f7d2f

Encouraged by recent victory. Especially interested in Supercentres, which have forced down wages in Ontario
ALLISON LAMPERT, The Gazette
Published: Friday, August 22

Union leaders are preparing to use a history-making collective agreement won by nine Wal-Mart garage workers to organize more of the retailer's Canadian stores.

The United Food and Commercial Workers, which negotiated the Quebec contract, is especially interested in Wal-Mart Canada Corp.'s Supercentres, which have undercut rivals and forced down wages in Ontario.

"There is a reason why we get calls in our office from Wal-Mart employees," UFCW Canada president Wayne Hanley told The Gazette during a Montreal gathering of the union's delegates that ends today.

"The delegates that I talk to are hoping it will be a springboard for other unionizing efforts across the country."

The collective agreement imposed last week by arbitrator Alain Corriveau calls for an estimated 30-per-cent wage hike for entry-level auto workers, who change oil, clean radiators and replace batteries at the Tire & Lube garage in Gatineau.

Last week, Wal-Mart spokesperson Andrew Pelletier wouldn't rule out the possibility of closing the garage.

"We're taking the situation in Gatineau one step at a time," he told the New York Times.

Paul Ratslaf, Wal-Mart Canada's vice-president for human resources, said executives would have to close the garage "with regret" if Corriveau changed the retailer's salary scale, the arbitrator's report said.

UFCW international president Joe Hansen wouldn't talk to The Gazette, despite repeated requests for an interview.

FULL story at link.