Wal-Mart closes unionized Quebec tire and lube shop

'If you join a union, they're going to close your shop.' - Wayne Hanley

Gatineau, Que. (17 Oct. 2008) - Wal-Mart has reinforced its reputation as the world's biggest union buster by closing a Quebec tire and lubrication shop, where a first union contract was recently imposed by the Quebec Labour Relations Board (QLRB).

The shutdown, effective immediately, involves five employees at a Tire and Lube Express (TLE) operation attached to a company store in Gatineau, across the Ottawa River from Canada's capital city.

It is the second shutdown made by the Arkansas-based retail giant to avoid dealing with a legal union in Quebec. Close to 200 workers lost their jobs in April, 2005, when Wal-Mart shut down a store in Jonquiere, north of Quebec City, to head off the imposition of a union contract there.

Wal-Mart said the contract imposed by the board raised costs 30% and would have triggered "dramatic" increases in product prices.

Supreme Court case pending

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada) dismissed the claim and said Wal-Mart was simply telling employees it would not tolerate a union.

"If you join a union, they're going to close your shop,'' said Wayne Hanley, the union's Canadian president. "It's hard to see how the additional labour costs were going to drive up the price of a cheap oil change, while at the same time they rake in multi-billion-dollar profits every year."

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Canada has agreed to hear two cases of union busting alleged by former employees in Jonquiere.

The complaints say the Arkansas-based retail giant violated the Quebec Labour Code and the right to freedom of association when it closed the store in April 2005 rather than sign a union contract with employees.

Unionized employees were negotiating their first collective agreement at the time. Wal-Mart claimed the closure - which cost 190 workers their jobs - was decided because the store was unprofitable. Polls at the time showed that few people believed the company's line.

'Notorious ant-union firm'

James Clancy, president of the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE), called Wal-Mart’s actions outrageous.

“This is a notorious anti-union firm that is dedicated to pursuing its 'Always No Unions' philosophy, regardless of the impact on workers, suppliers or communities. Wal-Mart has spent millions of dollars waging an extensive campaign to keep unions out of all their stores. Dismissals, store closures, legal challenges and delays are all part of their union-avoidance tactics," Clancy said.

“Its actions are unacceptable both in terms of Canadian values and Canadian laws. The Gatineau workers were merely exercising their human rights under Canada’s constitution. Wal-Mart might not like unions, but they need to understand that this does not give them the right to run roughshod over our Canadian charter of Rights and Freedoms," he added/

“The labour movement can not let Wal-Mart’s actions go unchallenged. We must do whatever we can to expose, oppose and stop Wal-Mart’s blatant disregard of human rights and Canadian law."

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has signed a protocol with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW Canada) to support and cooperate in the UFCW's campaign to organize workers at Wal-Mart stores across Canada. NUPGE