Mississauga Walmart warehouse workers first to unionize in Canada

Workers at Walmart’s Mississauga warehouse have voted in favour of unionizing and are the first in Canada to do so.

The workers voted to join Unifor, Canada’s largest private sector union, Unifor said on Friday.

“This victory is the result of uniting around a belief in workplace democracy and better working conditions,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne. “Walmart workers in Mississauga stood up for their rights, and we are excited to get to work on their first collective agreement.”

Payne has said workers at Walmart deserve greater job security, health and safety protections, and fair wages.

More than 40 per cent of the workers at the facility signed a union card this summer and the Ontario Labour Board awarded the workers a vote, which was held Sept. 10 to 12.

Walmart has been accused of attempting to deter unionizing in the U.S.

In a statement to INsauga.com, Walmart said they are reviewing next steps.

“We’ve always believed that the best person to speak for our associates is the associate.  Our culture is founded on an environment of transparency, honesty, and direct dialogue with our associates, without involving individuals outside of our organization who don’t know our culture or our business,” the statement reads.

Unifor said workers chose unity.

“Unions are the most effective way to have a say in your conditions at work,” said Unifor Ontario regional director Samia Hashi. “These Walmart workers are showing warehouse workers across Canada what’s possible when we stand together.”

Unifor’s campaign at Walmart’s Mississauga facility began in December 2023.

Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 315,000 workers. The union advocates for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad.

With files from The Canadian Press

Lead photo: Unifor

Editor’s note: This story was updated with a statement from Walmart.