Posts Categorized: UFCW Canada

More than 150 retail workers at Ashley Homestore in the city of Mississauga in Ontario, Canada, recently voted to join UFCW Locals 175 and 633, marking a significant step toward improved working conditions and greater workplace representation.

Ashley Homestore is a retail chain in Canada that sells a variety of signature home furniture, décor accessories and mattresses, and the newly unionized members come from a variety of departments, including warehouse, repair services, and delivery operations. The organizing campaign, while challenging, resulted in a strong show of unity among the workers, who cited a lack of respect, overwhelming workloads, and health and safety issues as key motivators for unionizing. Many of the workers felt undervalued, pointing to concerns around dignity at work and unresolved workplace injuries involving the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, which is the workplace compensation board for provincially regulated workplaces in Ontario.

“Joining a union isn’t just about better pay or benefits—it’s about standing together to demand respect and fairness, and to have a voice in the decisions that shape our lives,” said UFCW Local 175 President Kelly Tosato. “The true strength of our union lies in the courage and solidarity of our members standing as one.”

With their vote secured, the Ashley Homestore workers are preparing to negotiate their first collective agreement around key goals, such as improving wages, benefits and scheduling practices; job security; and most importantly, restoring dignity and respect in their workplace.

About 40 members of UFCW Local 1991-P who work at the Lambro plant in La Prairie in Quebec, Canada, ratified their first contract on April 29. Lambro Inc. develops and manufactures high quality flexible ducts and plastic accessories for the HVAC residential, commercial and institutional buildings, and the workers in this unit hold positions such as operators, mechanics and lift truck operators.

This ratification concludes a negotiation process that started after their union certification on March 3, 2024. The agreement, ratified at 84 percent after a meeting held on April 29, 2025, marks a significant step forward for these workers.

Key provisions of the three-year contract include the introduction of the employer’s contribution to the Fonds de solidarité FTQ, which is a development capital fund; the addition of sick days bringing them to five; a productivity premium from $2 to $4 per hour depending on performance; and a seniority recognition with access to five weeks of vacation after 20 years of service. A signing bonus has also been obtained by the members with the contract coming into force.

“This first collective agreement constitutes an important milestone for our members from this production plant of ventilation products,” said UFCW Local 1991-P President Janick Vallières. “It demonstrates that, when we unite and speak in one voice, we can improve our working conditions and obtain long-lasting protection. I want to underline their engagement and their solidarity throughout this process.”