Union calls for Stella’s boycott

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This article was published 29/09/2020 (2166 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The union that represents employees at the Stella’s Sherbrook Street location has called for a boycott of all Stella’s restaurants, alleging “worker intimidation and suppression” as they bargain for their second contract, the union said Tuesday.

“We’re hoping to put some pressure on the company to get serious, come back to the table and work with us collaboratively to get a deal. The best way to do that at this point is to try to impact their business,” said Jeff Traeger, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union 832.

“We are saying to the public that until they decide to start addressing some of the issues that their employees have in various workplaces, then we’re going to ask people not to go eat there.”

Staff at the Sherbrook Stella’s have been on strike since Sept. 21. Their first contract, which was imposed by the Labour Board when the two sides couldn’t reach a deal, expired this month.

The union is asking for support in boycotting Stella’s cafe and bakery on Sherbrook, along with Stella’s Catering and Commissary on Waverley Street, and locations on Grant Avenue, Portage Avenue, Provencher Boulevard, Pembina Highway and the airport. Other non-Stella’s locations under the same ownership will be added to the list as they are confirmed.

On Monday, the union and employer met with a conciliator, but the talks broke off with no plans to return to the table. Stella’s announced Monday it would close dining-room service at the Sherbrook location.

“It became very clear very early that the employer was sticking to the same entrenched positions that got us in this mess in the first place,” Traeger said. “They really offered no modifications to any of the outstanding items.”

The union said the strike and boycott will continue until either the employer returns to the bargaining table and resolves outstanding issues or either side applies to end the strike through binding arbitration at the end of 60 days.

In May, the Osborne Street Stella’s, which was unionized, closed down. The chain has announced it is closing its airport location.

julia-simone.rutgers@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jsrutgers