Ethics Newsline®

Special to Newsline from Canadian correspondent Errol P. Mendes

JONQUIERE, Quebec
Wal-Mart Canada Corp. has decided to shut its first unionized store in North America, claiming that it was not able to reach a profitable contract with the union representing the approximately 190 employees at the store.

While the retail giant is claiming that it is closing the Jonquiere, Quebec, store for economic reasons, the union, the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), has stated that it will file an unfair labor practice charge with the Quebec Labor Relations Board alleging the closure is a violation of the workers’ right to join a union.

The Globe & Mail is reporting that the company has claimed the store was operating in the red and that while it had tried very hard to reach a contract with the union, the bargaining was “stuck” on key labor issues, including the scheduling of employees and employee status issues.