Metro, Unifor resume negotiations in month-old strike

Negotiations are back on in the more than four-week strike by 3,700 Unifor Local 414-represented grocery workers at 27 Metro supermarkets in greater Toronto.

Both sides reported Tuesday afternoon that collective bargaining has resumed to resolve the strike, which began on July 29 and was followed up on last Wednesday by a “secondary picket” at two Metro distribution centers in the Toronto area. The restart of talks came hours after an Ontario court granted Metro a temporary injunction that prevents Unifor picketers from blocking fresh food deliveries from the distribution centers.

“Unifor and Metro are back at the bargaining table. The union remains focused on achieving a fair collective agreement to end the strike with a contract that provides decent work and pay to frontline grocery workers,” national union Unifor said in an email statement on Tuesday. “As a gesture of good faith, Unifor will discontinue picketing at Metro warehouses, although entitled to continue doing so as per the judge’s interim order.”  

Last week, Metro Inc. had filed an unfair labor practice complaint against Unifor with the the Ontario Labor Relations Board. The Montreal-based food and drug retailer claimed that Unifor wasn’t bargaining in good faith, including by requests for their negotiating committees to meet and an Ontario Ministry of Labor-appointed mediator to participate in the contract talks. Metro’s filing came after the union launched the picket at the two distribution facilities on Aug. 23.

Related:Metro claims unfair labor practices by Unifor in weeks-long strike

Marie-Claude Bacon, vice president of public affairs and communications at Metro, confirmed to Winsight Grocery Business on Tuesday that the retailer had received the injunction and talks with Unifor were under way again. She declined to comment further on negotiations.

“Metro has been granted an injunction that will end the illegal blockade of its Toronto distribution centers by the union,” Bacon said in an email to WGB. “These distribution centers supply fresh products to all Metro and Food Basics stores in the province. Deliveries will resume, and stores will be resupplied as soon as possible.”

Under the injunction, the picketers at the Metro distribution centers—located at 75 Vickers Rd. and 5559 Dundas St. West in Toronto—cannot illegally block or impede access to the warehouses and corporate offices, though they are permitted to delay delivery vehicles for up to five minutes, published reports said. The picketers’ activity reportedly prevented the delivery of fresh items like produce, meat and dairy to Metro stores across Ontario. Restricted locations named in the court order, which lapses at 12 a.m. on Friday, also included a Food Basics store at Metro’s Dundas St. West facility, according to report.

Related:Picketing in Metro strike extends to pair of distribution centers

Metro associates represented by Unifor Local 414 walked off the job at the 27 stores after voting down a tentative contract agreement reached July 19. The stores, situated in 13 Toronto-area communities, have been closed since the work stoppage began, though Metro said their pharmacies will remain open. Striking employees include Unifor members serving as full- or part-time store clerks in all store departments, such as cashiers, plus department managers, pharmacy and Starbucks staff.  

Unifor has said it’s waiting for Metro to make a stronger contract proposal, including a “more serious” wage offer. The grocer’s phaseout of a $2-per-hour bonus paid to frontline workers during the pandemic remains a sticking point in talks and triggered the rejection of the tentative contract proposal, according to the union.