February 13, 2014 Dear Member: As you are aware, your store

February 13, 2014
Dear Member:
As you are aware, your store, along with three other Sobeys stores, have now officially been
sold to Co-op. This may be a relief for some of you, however there are still many unanswered
questions. Since the announcement of the divestiture of your store there has been very little
information and a lot of uncertainty.
So what now?
As you know, we are currently in negotiations with Sobeys. Because of the timing of the sale,
Co-op has purchased your current Collective agreement. What this means is that they have
to honour the terms currently outlined in your contract and continue to honour them even
after expiry on March 15, 2014. Co-op CANNOT choose to abandon your contract once it
expires on March 15th 2014. This means Co-op must continue to pay your Pension premiums,
Health and Welfare premiums, Dental premiums, pay your negotiated wage rates, honour
your seniority, provide you with your entitled amount of vacation and every other provision
bargained in your agreement.
Where do we go from here?
While the sale of your store to Co-op has been announced, it has not yet been legally
finalized. Until the sale it is actually finalized, you continue to be a Sobeys employee. This
means that the current round of negotiations continue to directly affect you. If we reach a
new contract with Sobeys before the sale is final, then the negotiated agreement becomes
your new contract. If the parties do not reach a new agreement with Sobeys until after the
sale to Co-op is finalized, we will start negotiations with Co-op for a new collective agreement
to cover the 4 Winnipeg stores that were sold. In that event, the Union is fully committed to
getting to the bargaining table with Co-op as soon as possible. In the interim, we will
continue to update you on the progress of negotiations with Sobeys, including providing you
with meeting notices and encouraging you to attend any meetings, as these issues continue
to impact you. It is important during this transition time to keep informed, you can find the
most up-to-date information on our website at www.ufcw832.com.
UFCW local 832 has had direct dealings with Co-op for many years. We currently represent
the 120 members working at the Federated Co-op warehouse in Winnipeg, in addition to
representing 7 Co-op grocery stores around the province along with the Marketplace in
Selkirk and in Lorette that are operated by Co-op. We have had a positive working
relationship with this employer and are looking forward to continuing that with the sale of your
store to Co-op.
WE are in this together. You are fortunate to be one of four stores in this situation and
your Union stands with you. Your Union will continue to represent you and stand up
for your rights with Co-op.
In solidarity,
Jeff Traeger,
President, UFCW Local 832