Striking Zehrs & RCSS Workers Ratify Amended Memorandum of Settlement

MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 9, 2015) - Members of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW) Locals 175 & 633 working at Zehrs Great Foods and RCSS stores in Kent, Essex and Lambton counties have ratified an amended memorandum of settlement at votes held today.

The 1,600 Union members will return to work by seniority immediately following eight days of picketing after a previous memorandum of settlement was rejected by the membership.

"The new agreement merges the three existing UFCW Locals 175 & 633 bargaining units that were involved in this set of negotiations into one bargaining unit moving forward," explained Shawn Haggerty, President of UFCW Local 175. The contract will now cover 60 Zehrs Great Food, RCSS, and Loblaws stores across the province.

The previous contract for these workers expired July 1, 2015. Negotiations began early this year and included a provincially appointed Conciliation Officer.

UFCW Locals 175 & 633 represents 74,000 Union members working across Ontario, including 18,000 at Loblaw-owned locations.