First location in Alberta to join union
Hospitality workers at Red Lobster in Edmonton are the newest members of United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) Canada, Local 401 after deciding on Dec. 18 to join the union.
After many objections and failed attempts by management to thwart workers’ desire to join UFCW 401, the Alberta Labour Relations Board ruled that enough workers had signed union cards for the union to be automatically certified as the official bargaining agent, said the UFCW.
Workers at the Red Lobster restaurant, located on 171 Street in Edmonton’s west end, joined the union to achieve numerous improvements to their workplace. Soon, the union’s negotiating committee, comprised of activists within the restaurant, will sit down with the employer to address workers’ concerns and negotiate the first union contract for Red Lobster workers in Alberta, said the union.
The Red Lobster workers join the ranks of nearly 32,000 other UFCW 401 members across Alberta.
UFCW Canada Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private sector union.
