Unifor has taken a significant step toward representing workers at a Walmart warehouse in Mississauga by filing an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) on Tuesday.
This move signals a growing effort to improve working conditions at the facility, where employees have expressed concerns about job security, health and safety protections, and fair wages, the union said in a press release.
“Workers at Walmart deserve greater job security, health and safety protections, and fair wages,” said Lana Payne, Unifor’s National President. “Today is an important step towards these goals.”
The OLRB will now assess the application to determine whether a vote is required. According to Ontario labour law, if Unifor’s submitted union cards represent at least 40% of the eligible workforce at the warehouse, a vote will be scheduled within five business days, Unifor said.
Despite facing resistance from Walmart’s management, who have been accused of intimidation tactics by the labour group, Unifor remains committed to its unionization efforts.
“Unions are good for workers, and Walmart is no different,” said Samia Hashi, Unifor’s Ontario Regional Director. “Despite employer intimidation and top-down opposition, workers at Walmart have shown that they are ready to have the protection offered by a democratic union.”
Unifor’s campaign at the Mississauga warehouse began in December 2023. Earlier this year, warehouse workers at an Amazon facility in Metro Vancouver successfully filed for a union vote, though the outcome remains unresolved due to ongoing legal challenges from Amazon, according to Unifor.
Unifor represents 315,000 workers across various sectors of the economy.