Member Update: Thursday, Sept. 16, 2004

CALGARY — Teamsters Union Local 987 is asking AUPE members and their families to continue their boycott of all retail Calgary Co-op grocery stores in support of their 300 striking members who work for the retail grocery chain’s partly owned supplier.

AUPE President Dan MacLennan joined the striking employees of Federated Co-operatives Ltd. on two picket lines in Calgary on Sept. 3 in a show of support from Alberta’s largest union.

The Federated Co-op employees, who primarily work in two Calgary warehouses, set up picket lines Aug. 13, after voting 98.3 per cent in favour of strike action.

Federated Co-op has been using scabs to keep the facilities operating.

Earlier this month, Teamsters Union representatives asked all AUPE members to honour the boycott of Calgary Co-op retail outlets, by spending their money at other grocery stores.

Calgary Co-operative Association Ltd. owns a 12 per cent interest in Federated Co-operatives Ltd.

“AUPE stands by its call for a boycott by members of Calgary Co-op retail outlets,” MacLennan said. “We also plan to run an advertisement in a Calgary newspaper asking the public to join in this effort.”

Click here to read and print out a copy of the AUPE newspaper advertisement.

“This is a reasonable and effective way for supporters of the striking employees to bring economic pressure to bear on their employer,” he said.

Since the employees went on strike in mid-August, the employer has threatened to close its hardware building, prompting the Teamsters to demand inclusion of severance language in any new agreement.

More recently, Federated Co-op’s new position is to hire all replacement workers (scabs) as full-time employees once the strike is over. They are also now demanding a six-year contract with a two-tier wage system.

“They’re using scabs and huge numbers of replacement drivers, and they’ve tried to strike fear in our members by leveling the threat of closure,” Clyde McCallum, Business Representative with Teamsters Union Local 987, said earlier this month.

There are numerous Calgary Co-operative Association Ltd. retail outlets located in towns and cities south of Red Deer, including Airdrie, Strathmore, Brooks, Medicine Hat, Calgary, Lethbridge and Pincher Creek.