CAW Targets HBC Office for Picket in Support of Striking Zellers Workers

TORONTO , Sept. 17 /CNW/ - CAW members will be taking to the street again this morning in downtown Toronto to support striking Zellers distribution centre workers. CAW members, including members of CAW Local 1000 who have been on strike for two months (July 16), will be handing out leaflets at the Hudson Bay Company head office (Zellers parent company), on the corner of Bay and Queen Street .

    
    Picket in support of striking Zellers workers:
    Today -Thursday, September 17 at 10:30am
    HBC Head Office (north east corner of Bay & Queen Streets)
    Toronto, Ontario
    

The picket is one of a number of events being held across the country in support of the 300 striking workers, who are employed at the company's Scarborough warehouse. This will include a picket at the Zellers in Pointe-Claire, Quebec where Zellers distribution centre workers from Scarborough will speak about the ongoing labour dispute.

The CAW is urging HBC to get back to the bargaining table. Talks fell apart in July after the company refused to remove their demands for drastic wage and benefit cuts. There has been little willingness to negotiate since then, said CAW President Ken Lewenza .

"This workforce is predominantly made up of new Canadians and workers of colour, all of whom who have worked hard to make a living and contributed to the company's success," said Lewenza. "It is completely ridiculous to demand that these workers should have to drop their wages by $8 -effective immediately. HBC must get serious about reaching an agreement."

The strike began exactly one year after HBC was acquired by NRDC, a U.S.-based private equity firm. Prior to the new ownership, there had never been a labour dispute.

For further information: please contact Assistant to CAW National President, Bob Orr, (cell) [phone] or CAW Communications, Shannon Devine, (cell) [phone]