Unifor is calling on the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) to prioritize employee wages, pensions and benefits as the retailer undergoes court-supervised restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).
The union, which represents approximately 320 HBC workers at stores in Windsor, Kitchener and Toronto’s Sherwood Gardens, as well as an e-commerce warehouse in Toronto, said the company must uphold its obligations under existing collective agreements.
“Friday’s news left HBC employees reeling with the uncertainty of what’s to come and anticipating the worst,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Through what’s sure to be a difficult period, HBC is still bound by its collective agreements, must deliver on wages and benefits, and communicate with workers and their union about what lies ahead.”
HBC filed for credit protection on March 7, citing financial challenges, including tariffs. The company has struggled in recent years with declining investment in its retail stores, which has led to infrastructure issues such as broken elevators and HVAC failures. In 2024, its Windsor store was forced to close for several weeks due to an HVAC system failure.
Payne said workers have long been concerned about HBC’s future and remain committed to the retailer’s continued operations. She emphasized that employees are entitled to the protections outlined in their contracts, all of which are set to expire later this year.
Unifor, Canada’s largest private-sector union, represents 320,000 workers across various industries. The organization continues to advocate for the protection of workers’ rights amid economic uncertainty in the retail sector.
