Food Basics employees represented by Unifor have ratified a five-year collective agreement that includes significant wage increases, expanded pension contributions, and protections against job losses due to automation, the union announced on Friday.
Under the new agreement, full-time employees will receive a $4.50 hourly wage increase over the contract’s duration, with a $2 per hour boost in the first year. Part-time workers will see a $3.20 hourly increase, with an immediate $1.50 increase in the first year. This wage increase follows a pattern set by Unifor in its 2023 Metro negotiations, which has since extended to contracts for grocery workers at No Frills, Sobeys, and Loblaws.
Unifor National President Lana Payne highlighted the broader implications of the contract gains for Canada’s grocery sector. “As grocery giants are making very healthy profits and more Canadians turn to discount stores like Food Basics, grocery workers are rightfully demanding their fair share,” said Payne. “Strong collective agreements are imperative to stabilize this important workforce and address the challenges facing frontline workers across the country,” she added.
Beyond wage improvements, the contract also includes enhanced pension contributions from the employer, the creation of new full-time roles, and a clause that protects current employees from layoffs resulting from the rollout of self-checkouts—a rising trend in the industry.
Local 414 President Gord Currie commended the negotiating team’s efforts to align wages and benefits with those gained by grocery workers across Canada. “I’m incredibly proud of our bargaining committee for securing wage increases, improved pensions, job protection, and the growth of full-time positions,” said Currie.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, represents approximately 320,000 workers across major industries.