Better job security.
Wage increases.
More ways to get vacation.

MEC workers in Victoria and Vancouver have already formed a union – and you have a right to join them.

As members of UFCW 1518, they have recently successfully negotiated better job security and higher wages in their contract. They’ve not just ensured that all departments get wage increases, but that wages always start above the provincial minimum wage.

Plus they even negotiated free parking spaces for employees into their contracts.

Don’t get left behind in wages and benefits at your MEC store just because you’re not part of the union! If you do receive increases in wages and benefits at your non-union MEC store, that is a direct result of members at the unionized locations fighting for those wins. Join your co-workers in Victoria and Vancouver by organizing a union at your store. Together, you can be even stronger in demanding fair wages and benefits.

Enter your details in this form and an organizer will be in touch to discuss the next steps for organizing – or scroll down to learn more about the process.

Learn More

Want to join the MEC union? Speak to an organizer now.

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How has the MEC union benefitted me?

Having a union means that the employees and employer are equal when deciding things like working conditions, pay, and benefits. In a business relationship — as with any relationship — everyone needs to have an equal say in what happens, otherwise it’s not fair to anyone.
Ian MartinMEC Worker
It is refreshing to know we have an extra support system available outside of our corporate workplace that listens to our concerns, offers solutions, fights for our rights, and keeps our interests top of mind.
Through collaborative bargaining this year with MEC, the Vancouver and Victoria stores were all provided with wage increases and numerous other positive improvements our coworkers requested. The Toronto and Montreal stores are also unionized, and this year are negotiating new collective bargaining agreements with MEC as well. The more MEC stores unionize, the more opportunities and support we have to achieve our employee improvement goals together.
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How do I join the MEC union?

Connect with us confidentially

Use our Contact form or call us at 1-888-581-1518. We will get back to you as soon as possible to answer your questions about joining a union. Know that once you start the process of unionizing, your job is protected by the BC Labour Relations Board.

Sign union cards

Working with staff from our union, you and your co-workers will sign support cards indicating that you want to join UFCW 1518. When enough of you sign a card, you will win your union!

This process is confidential. Your employer will never have the right to know who did or did not sign. Your employer cannot legally take action against anyone for signing a card.

We give notice to the employer

When the BC Labour Relations Board certifies you and your coworkers as members of UFCW 1518, union staff will contact your employer to begin the bargaining process. You will elect coworkers to represent you in bargaining.

You join the union!

You and your co-workers would be immediately covered by the current collective agreement for MEC workers. This agreement spells out wages, benefits, respect and job security. In the next round of bargaining, you would all be able to submit proposals for your new contract/collective agreement in your workplace. We will help guide you through the bargaining process.

FAQ: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Will Management know if I’ve signed a union card?

Management will never know who signed cards – the process is 100% confidential. We will never tolerate retaliation against workers who are in favour of unionizing.

What are the main benefits of joining a union?

Collective bargaining means workers stick together to win better treatment at work through a union contract built on your suggestions and negotiated with the employer.

MEC workers in Victoria and Vancouver through being part of a union have won improved pay and vacation benefits over non-unionized MEC stores and increased their minimum daily pay. They even negotiated protection against employer-based phone apps and improved job security through more guaranteed full time positions and maximized hours for part-time staff.

More MEC stores joining the union gives you the ability to more directly challenge the employer at the bargaining table for even bigger gains. This is especially important with MEC moving away from a cooperative model to a more profit driven ownership model.

How much are union dues?

Union dues for new units are no more than 2% of your wages and are 100% tax-deductible. You won’t pay one cent until you vote in your first collective agreement. No benefits, no dues.

Does unionizing mean we’ll go on strike?

Strikes are very rare. You have control over strikes through a vote – a majority of your co-workers must be in favour to launch a strike. If that happens, we will provide you with strike pay.

The employer has promised us they’ll be rolling out improved pay and benefits in our store too. Why join a union if we’re promised the same benefits?

Employers can make any promises they want. Without a union, there’s no enforcement of those promises. It’s up to the employer whether they follow-through with promised wage increases. Even if they do, the benefits and pay negotiated by MEC workers in the Vancouver and Victoria stores end up being the standard across all MEC stores. Through their bargaining power as unionized workers, workers in the Vancouver and Victoria stores end up negotiating the standard, not because the employer decided to make that the standard.

If more MEC stores join the union, it increases the bargaining power of all MEC workers to ask for even better wages, benefits, and working conditions.