Today, UFCW 1518 filed an Unfair Labour Practice (ULP) with the BC Labour Relations Board against Sephora in Kamloops, the first unionized store in Canada.

UFCW 1518 has been negotiating with Sephora for over a year to make significant wage improvements not only for union members but all Sephora workers in BC. The union has received reports that Sephora workers were feeling threatened by management and were at risk of losing wages and benefits.

The Kamloops store became the first unionized Sephora in Canada in the summer of 2022 when workers organized to seek greater respect, equity and wage fairness in their workplace. After forming their union, the workers successfully fought for compensation for time spent waiting for bag checks, which sometimes forced workers to wait up to 30 minutes without pay after their shifts. The paid bag check time became company policy at all Sephora stores in Canada following the union’s advocacy.

“We are extremely disappointed to hear from our members that Sephora is using these tactics,” said UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak. “We expect better from this company. That means Sephora coming to the bargaining table with an offer we can bring back to our members that includes significant wage increases, better flexibility and respect for the work they do. We are ready and willing to work with Sephora–but we need to see respect for our members in the process.”  

The union is fighting for significant wage increases, assurance of health benefits, retention of store bonuses, and more at the bargaining table. Once negotiations are complete, all workers at the Kamloops Sephora store will have the opportunity to vote on the tentative contract. From there, the Sephora Kamloops union can fight for further wage and workplace improvements in their next collective agreement.

If you are a Sephora worker and would like to know more about the benefits of joining a union, you can reach out at join@ufcw1518.com or go to ufcw1518.com/join.