The workers at Sobeys on Albert Street in Regina, members of RWDSU Local 454 and an affiliate of ILWU Canada, walked off the job Sept. 11, 2005. Their Collective Agreement expired in Jan. 1, 2005, more than 21 months ago and their Employer continues to fail to offer a fair settlement on wages and benefits.

Sobeys refuses to provide competitive rates of pay to its workers and in fact is paying its non-unionized stores’ workers better than its union workers. Sobeys has been found to be in violation of Canadian labor laws on a number of occasions and, unlike most other Canadian employers, refuses to provide wage increases from the date the agreement expired.

Sobeys is the second largest retail food company in Canada with a major presence in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. Sobeys net earnings for their first quarter ending Aug. 6, 2005 were $48.2 million. This company can afford to compensate its workers fairly.

The Saskatchewan Federation of Labour has endorsed a boycott of all Sobeys stores in Saskatoon and Regina to support the workers on strike and to encourage Sobeys to negotiate a fair settlement with its workers.

The ILWU Executive Board supports the workers on strike at Sobeys and will alert all its locals to do everything in their power to support the Sobeys workers. The ILWU International Executive Board salutes the workers of Sobeys on the first anniversary of their strike and sends its solidarity greetings to RWDSU Local 454.