Montreal – February 20, 2020 – Workers at the Première Moisson bakery in the Baie-d’Urfé suburb of Montreal are the newest members of UFCW Local 501 after recently saying “Yes!” to joining the union. The 180 employees chose to join UFCW in a vote that took place over three days.  

Workers joined the union to address health and safety issues – in particular, high heat near the bakery’s ovens – and to achieve adequate time off for breaks. Employees also wanted to have a strong voice in the workplace to negotiate better employment conditions.

‘‘By becoming UFCW members, workers at Première Moisson will gain the tools they need to negotiate good working conditions and advance their demands. Furthermore, they can now rely on the solidarity and support of other UFCW members. We are very proud to welcome the new members into our great union and we thank them for the trust that they have placed in us,’’ says UFCW Local 501 President and Quebec Provincial Council Secretary-Treasurer Alain Lachaîne.

The Première Moisson employees are the second group of workers in Quebec to organize a union in their workplace using UFCW Canada’s new digital communication tools. ‘‘This kind of peer-to-peer campaign is more complex and takes place over longer periods. The challenge lies in keeping members interested during the entire organizing process. Our role consists of supporting them, for most of the work is carried out by members. We provide them with the tools and documents, which are available in multiple languages, that are specifically designed to answer workers’ questions and debunk myths about unions,’’ says Anouk Collet, Executive Assistant to the UFCW Canada National President.

In the coming weeks, a bargaining committee will be formed to establish member concerns for negotiations. This committee, which will be comprised of members from the new bargaining unit, will be supported by UFCW Local 501’s strong and experienced organizing team.

UFCW Local 501 represents over 19,000 members working at more than 410 businesses and organizations throughout Quebec and northern New Brunswick. To learn more about UFCW Local 501 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.  

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