Unions in Norway and in Canada are coordinating efforts to unionize convenience stores such as Couche-Tard in the province of Quebec.
Photo Credit: Graham Hughes/CP

Unions in Norway and Canada coordinate convenience store unionization

Unions in Norway and in Canada are coordinating efforts to unionize convenience stores in both countries.

Representatives from the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN – Confederation of National Trade Unions) in the province of Quebec who represent some employees in the Couche-Tard chain, met in Oslo this week with representatives of the Norwegian union of commercial and office employees, HK-Norway.

HK-Norway represents some employees in several Norwegian convenience stores, which do business under the Statoil banner, which was recently acquired by Couche-Tard.

According to CBC News Couche-Tard is Canada’s largest convenience store operator and one of the largest in the world. Among its banners are Couche-Tard and Mac’s in Canada, Circle K in the United States and Statoil in northern Europe.

In a press release from the CSN, the union federation’s General Secretary, Jean Lortie, who attended the Oslo meeting is quoted as saying  “Seldom, in the province of Quebec, have we witnessed any employer deploy so much energy to combat unionization. The employees who wish to join a Union have no choice but to do so in secret, for fear of reprisals. Once unionized, Couche-Tard has closed down profitable outlets and transferred others to franchisees, all in an attempt to shirk their obligations. It’s unacceptable in the province of Quebec and it is equally unacceptable in Norway.”

Last October the Le Devoir newspaper reported that at a Couche-Tard shareholders meeting the president of Couche-Tard Alain Bouchard cut off comments by a pro-union sympathiser at the meeting, and the person was accompanied out of the meeting by security guards

 

More information:
CSN press release – here
CBC News – Quebec union pushes for convenience store worker rights – here
Le Devoir – here
Couche-Tard web site – www.couche-tard.com

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