Nova Scotia Buzz
Employees at the Sobeys store on Prince Street in Sydney, Nova Scotia, are set to receive substantial pay raises and bonuses following the ratification of a new five-year collective agreement negotiated by Unifor. This agreement is part of Unifor’s ongoing efforts to secure better wages for grocery workers across the sector.
Full-time clerks will see their hourly pay increase by $3.63 to $3.79 over the life of the contract. Additionally, they will receive a $2,000 signing bonus immediately and another $1,000 bonus in October 2024. Part-time workers, who make up the majority of the store’s staff, will experience an even more significant hourly wage increase of $4.89. They will also receive $500 bonuses at two intervals: one upon ratification and another in October 2024.
Part-time employees will benefit from an accelerated pay scale. Effective immediately, they will be credited with 2,000 hours worked, which means they will reach the top pay rate faster than before.
Jennifer Murray, Unifor’s Atlantic Regional Director, highlighted the importance of these wage improvements for part-time workers. “The members at the Sydney Sobeys store saw how important it was to bring part-timers more hourly income and achieving that is a testament to their sense of community and solidarity,” Murray stated. “We’re proud to see Unifor’s grocery bargaining strategy deliver results for members.”
The agreement also includes annual employer contributions to the Unifor Paid Education Leave Program, which supports member education and training. Additionally, Sobeys has committed to maintaining an increased number of full-time positions at the store.
“Unifor has made significant gains at bargaining tables with the three grocery giants because of the strength and solidarity of thousands of workers fighting together to bring good supermarket jobs back,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “I send my congratulations to the bargaining committee at Sobeys Sydney and to every Unifor grocery worker who took a stand to demand better pay from these highly profitable corporations.”
Unifor represents 119 members at the Sobeys in Sydney, Cape Breton. The union is the largest in Canada’s private sector, advocating for workers’ rights and social justice, and represents 315,000 workers across various industries.
