By Madeline Kerr
Employees of IGA Famille Charles in Chelsea will see their salary increase by 24 per cent over the next seven years thanks to a new collective agreement signed with the local division of the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW).
It’s a notable victory in an industry that has been under heavy scrutiny lately following reports that Canada’s top grocers made record profits of over $6 billion in 2023, while many grocery store workers’ wages haven’t even kept up with the pace of inflation.
Besides higher wages for all unionized employees, department supervisor bonuses will increase from $0.65 to $1 per hour worked. The union’s dental plan will continue to be fully paid for by the employer, and three new regular positions will be created. Spokesperson for UFCW Roxane Larouche told the Low Down that these improvements will help the store attract and retain workers.
Negotiations took place over just two meetings, which Larouche described as having “a harmonious climate.” She explained that approximately 80 employees will benefit from the collective agreement, which came into effect on Dec. 12, 2023.
IGA stores are supplied by Sobeys, the second largest grocer in Canada after Loblaws, and are owned by Empire Company Limited. Empire’s CEO Michael Medline made more than $8.6 million in total compensation in 2022, up from just over $7.4 million the year before, according to the Canadian private sector union Unifor.
Loblaws’ CEO Galen Weston Jr. made a staggering $11.9 million in compensation in 2022. Unifor concluded in a report published in April 2023 that the average grocery store employee – who at the time earned $18.97 per hour according to Statistics Canada – would have to work 340 years to earn Westen’s pay in just one year.
Local UFCW president Antonia Filato said in a statement that the latest salary raise for IGA Famille Charles workers is a good example of how “collective agreements ensure that our members obtain fair and equitable recognition for the work accomplished for their employer.”