Canada’s Retail Union Takes on Wal-Mart

Canada’s biggest retail union is taking aim at the world’s largest retailer in a bid to organize employees of Wal-Mart Canada Inc.

The United Food and Commercial Workers International union said Friday that it is launching a province-wide drive to organize the retailer’s 9,300 employees in Ontario.

The union said it is responding to the recent “influx of calls” from Wal-Mart employees.

“Recently, the frequency of calls and inquiries has increased to the extent that we believe it is necessary to determine the needs and desires of Wal-Mart employees to become unionized,” the union said.

The union said Wal-Mart employees are concerned about recent layoffs, the closure of a former Woolco warehouse in Toronto, the elimination of skilled auto center workers and work being contracted out in Wal-Mart restaurants.

Wal-Mart entered Canada last year after acquiring 122 former Woolco department stores from Woolworth Corp. It has since expanded to 127 stores with 44 outlets in Ontario.

The drive is supported by the Ontario Federation of Labor, an umbrella group representing many of the province’s unions.