ACE Bakery workers join the Union

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August 24, 2017

ACE Bakery employees join UFCW Locals 175 & 633At a recent certification vote, 260 workers at ACE Bakery in Toronto won Union representation with UFCW Locals 175 & 633.

“These workers have been trying to organize their workplace for almost 10 years,” said President Haggerty. “The employer tried to stack the vote against the Union, but the passion and dedication of the workers held strong and got the employees the win they deserve.”

Right before the vote, the employer tried to add about 100 additional ‘temporary’ workers to the employee list. So, the Union challenged the employer’s scheme at the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) and the workers won a victory.

Employees joined together because they wanted to bargain collectively with their employer. Overall, the workers wanted to achieve improvements such as:

  • Respect and dignity,
  • Better wages,
  • Improve health and safety,
  • Enhance job security, and
  • Secure better benefits.

“The campaign was unprecedented in the level of unity, militancy and perseverance by the workers,” said UFCW Canada Organizer Kevin Shimmin. “They built unity among the agency and permanent workers.” The full-time, part-time, and agency workers make a variety of items under the ACE Bakery brand, which is owned by Weston Foods Canada Inc., a subsidiary of George Weston Limited. George Weston Limited owns Loblaw Companies as well.

Products made by the new Locals 175 & 633 Members include:

  • baguettes and specialty loaves,
  • burger buns,
  • bagels,
  • sandwich rolls, and
  • cookies.

ACE Bakery supplies supermarkets across Canada, including Loblaw banner stores.

Welcome to Your Union!

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 also represents more than 500 bakery employees at Breako National Baking, Weston Bakeries, La Rocca Creative Cakes, Ready Bake Foods, and Maplehurst Bakeries, plus employees at retail grocery store bakeries across the province.

Read more stories of workers who celebrated organizing victories and joined UFCW Local 175!

Read more stories of workers who celebrated organizing victories and joined UFCW Local 175!

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