Freshco Kitchener ratifies
January 9, 2026
Freshco Kitchener ratifies wage increases, language improvements and secures the Civic holiday as a stat with new collective agreement.
The retail grocery workers at Freshco – Westmount & Ottawa in Kitchener ratified a five-year agreement on December 16, 2025.
The wages for part-time increase on January 1, 2026 to $18.85 and will improve to $20.45 over the term. Full-time wages will increase to $20.80 on January 1, 2026 and will go up to $24.00 over the term.
Language improvements include:
- Safety boot allowance will increase to $100.00 from $60.00.
- Vision care increases to $200.00 from $175.00 for both full and part-time.
- The employer will pay 100% of the negotiating committee wages for the first two days up from 50%.
- The Civic Holiday will be added to the list of statutory holidays, a significant achievement for the membership.
- Bereavement leave increases from three days to five days for immediate family (parent, step-parent, child, step-child, brother, step-brother, sister, step-sister).
- Disciplines will be removed from a members file after 18 months, down from two years.
- Workers can now apply for a job posting after 30 months, decreased from 36 months.
- Part-time employees with six months of service or more who attend full-time post secondary education will be considered for rehire at the discretion of the company. A rehired employee will receive their rate in accordance with their accumulated hours in the wage grid prior to leaving for school.
Union negotiating committee: John Hutfuss. Union representative: Arlene Robertson.
Read grocery retail sector posts including negotiation highlights.
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