Unifor has launched a campaign to improve working conditions for workers in warehousing, distribution and logistics facilities across Canada.
The Warehouse Workers Unite campaign seeks to bring warehouse workers together to address shared issues including the ‘speed-up’ of work, health and safety protection, fair wages, better working conditions, and respect on the job.
The campaign website says: “While warehouse workers face a long list of challenges, there is an almost endless list of opportunities to make positive change. Simply put, when working conditions are poor, the room for improvement is huge.”
“Frontline essential warehouse workers literally carry the load to ensure that we have access to the goods that we need but they also bear the brunt as pressure for faster and faster delivery results in ever-worsening conditions, with increased demands to work at almost impossible speeds,” said Unifor National president Jerry Dias.
The new campaign websites, in English and in French, include a feature that provides instant translation to multiple languages including Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Tamil and Urdu.
Videos on the site are also posted with closed captioning in multiple languages to maximize outreach to newcomers working in the warehouse sector.
“Warehouse work takes place out of the public eye, with warehouse workers often feeling invisible and isolated,” said Unifor Quebec Director Renaud Gagné.
“This campaign aims to bring attention to their experiences and encourage warehouse workers to consider what unionization can do to help them gain a voice to demand good jobs and to build an industry standard.”
With the campaign launch, Unifor warehouse workers marked Black Friday with an outreach to non-unionized warehouse workers in the greater Toronto and Montreal areas.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
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