Where to get a union job in British Columbia

If you’re looking for work in British Columbia, you might not realise that a lot of jobs come with membership in a labour union, such as UFCW 1518. This is usually a good sign that you’re going to have more protections at work – such as benefits, job security, and fair scheduling – than if you work somewhere without a union.

We’re proud that UFCW 1518 represents workers in a huge range of companies and industries across BC and the Yukon – so we’ve made this handy guide to the places you can apply now for work with a union employer.

Retail and Grocery Stores

We represent thousands of members at well-known grocery stores across BC and the Yukon, including big name brands like Save-on-Foods, Safeway, Sobeys and FreshCo. Our sister union, UFCW 247, also represents many workers at No Frills and Canadian Superstore – so there’s a good chance any grocery job you get will be unionized.

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Save-on-Foods	All stores in BC and the Yukon are members of UFCW 1518. In 2023, we secured an industry-leading contract with Save-on-Foods, guaranteeing some of the best conditions for grocery workers anywhere in Canada.	Apply Here
Safeway	All stores in BC are members of UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Alberni Co-op	All outlets are members of UFCW 1518. We represent several local co-op stores across BC!	Apply Here
Bulkley Valley Wholesale	Wholesaler based in Smithers - part of Save-On-Foods.	Apply Here
Buy-Low Foods	Employees at the Buy-Low-Foods home office in Surrey are members of UFCW 1518, but store workers are not.	Apply Here
Canadian Tire	The Canadian Tire at 5008 Domano Boulevard in Prince George is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Fresh St. Market	Locations in Surrey (Fraser Highway) and West Vancouver (Marine Drive) are unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Grand & Toy	Furniture and office supplies retailer based in Burnaby.	Apply Here
Hornby Island Co-op	Retail co-operative based on Hornby Island.	Apply Here
Hudson's Bay Company	Large department store - the location in the Bay Centre in Victoria is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
IGA	Grocery store - three locations are unionized with UFCW 1518 - in Port McNeill, West Vancouver, and on Burrard Street in Vancouver.	Apply Here
Kalawsky Chevrolet	Car dealership in Castlegar.	Apply Here
FreshCo/Chalo	Grocery store, part of the Sobeys family. All FreshCo/Chalo stores in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Urban Fare	Grocery Store chain, part of Save-On-Foods - all locations in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Mountain Equipment Company (MEC)	Outdoors retailer selling hiking, camping and winter supplies. Unionized locations in Vancouver and Victoria.	Apply Here
PriceSmart Foods	Grocery store, part of Save-On-Foods. Has three unionized locations in Richmond, Metrotown and Burquitlam.	Apply Here
Mackenzie Co-op	Retail co-operative serving Mackenzie, BC.	Apply Here
Mid Island Co-op	Retail co-operative serving central Vancouver Island, including Nanaimo, Duncan, Ladysmith and Parksville. Includes a unionized gas bar.	Apply Here
Shoppers Drug Mart	Two stores are unionized with UFCW 1518 - on Davie Street in Vancouver, and at Sixth Street in New Westminster.	Apply Here
Stong's Markets	Grocery store - both locations are unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Sointula Co-op	Retail co-operative serving Sointula.	Apply Here
Source Office Furniture	Furniture supplier - Burnaby location is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Ucluelet Co-op	Retail co-operative serving Ucluelet.	Apply Here

Community health and home support

Our healthcare workers do a remarkable job taking care of people in their homes across the province. If you’re looking for a job in this sector, apply for these employers to get the protections that a union contract brings.

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Interior Health	Most community health and home support workers in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA or BCGEU. UFCW locations in Interior BC include Armstrong Spallumcheen, Barriere, Castlegar, Chase, Clearwater, Cranbrook, Creston, Enderby, Fernie, Grand Forks, Kamloops, Kelowna, Keremeos, Kimberley, Merritt, Nelson, Oliver, Penticton, Prince George, Quesnel, Robson Valley, Shuswap, Trail and Vernon. Check individual job listings for membership specifics.	Apply Here
Campbell River Adult Care Society	Provides community care services in Campbell River.	Apply Here
The Concorde Retirement Community	Retirement community in Penticton, BC.	Apply Here
Island Health	Most community health and home support workers in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA or BCGEU. UFCW locations on Vancouver Island include Campbell River, Courtenay/Comox, Cowichan, Mt. Waddington, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Salt Spring Island. Check individual job listings for membership specifics.	Apply Here
Greater Vancouver Community Services Society	Provides community health services in the Metro Vancouver area.	Apply Here
Vancouver Coastal Health	Most community health and home support workers in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA or BCGEU. UFCW locations in the Vancouver Coastal Health area include Powell River, and Richmond. Check individual job listings for membership specifics.	Apply Here
Fraser Health Authority	Most community health and home support workers in BC are unionized with UFCW 1518, HEU, HSA or BCGEU. UFCW locations in the Fraser Health area include Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, and New Westminster. Check individual job listings for membership specifics.	Apply Here

Industrial, Food Processing and Farms

From meat processing to commercial farms and dairies, our members work in a wide range of settings to provide high quality food and drink, protected by wide-ranging agreements to ensure good standards at their workplace.

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Avalon Dairy	Long-running dairy based in Burnaby.	Apply Here
Britco Pork Inc.	Meat production factory based in Langley.	Apply Here
Colonial Farms Ltd.	Meat production plant based in Armstrong.	Apply Here
Donald's Fine Foods	Food processing company based in Richmond.	Apply Here
eCycle Solutions	Electronics recycling centre in Chilliwack.	Apply Here
J&L Beef Ltd.	Meat production plant based in Surrey.	Apply Here
Johnston Packers Ltd.	Meat production plant based in Chilliwack.	Apply Here
Sofina Foods	Meat production company, with unionized locations in Port Coquitlam, and at the turkey plant and hatchery in Abbotsford.	Apply Here
Riviana Foods Ltd.	Rice processing plant, based in Delta.	Apply Here
Rogers Foods Ltd.	Flour and grain mills. The Armstrong plant is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Rossdown Natural Foods Ltd.	Chicken and turkey plant based in Abbotsford.	Apply Here
Salade Etcetera! Inc.	Food manufacturing plant based in Coldstream. A division of VegPro International.	Apply Here
Sidhu & Sons Nurseries	Plant nursery based in Mission.	Apply Here

Cafés and restaurants

The food service sector has long been tough for workers, but a growing number are joining unions, meaning fairer treatment and more secure work. Read some of our recommendations here!

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Boston Pizza	Most stores are not yet unionized, but the New Westminster location is organized with UFCW 1518. Want to organize your location? Reach out to us!	Apply Here
Cartems Donuts	Serving (really good) donuts and coffee in Vancouver and Coquitlam!	Apply Here
Earnest Ice Cream	Serve delicious unionized ice cream at the Fraser Street and Quebec Street locations in Vancouver!	Apply Here
Grounds for Coffee	Both locations, at Alma St. and Commercial Drive in Vancouver, are unionized with UFCW 1518. Try the cinnamon buns!	Apply Here
Matchstick Coffee	Serving great coffee at four unionized locations across Vancouver.	Apply Here

Cannabis

Since 2020, the BC Budtenders Union has been a force for good in the newly-established cannabis industry, and is the largest union in the private cannabis sector, with high union density across the province.

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Canna Cabana	Cannabis retailer - the store on Davie Street in Vancouver is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Clarity Cannabis	Cannabis retailer - the stores at Gorge Road and Johnson Street in Victoria are organized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Fireweed Cannabis	Cannabis retailer in New Hazelton, BC.	Apply Here
Trees Cannabis	Canada's first fully-unionized private cannabis store chain, with two locations each in Nanaimo and Victoria.	Apply Here
The Original FARM	Cannabis retailer - two unionized locations in Victoria, on Douglas Street and Scott Street.	Apply Here
Seed & Stone	Cannabis retailer - two unionized locations, on Fort Street in Victoria and Chester Road in Delta.	Apply Here

Professional Services

From advertising to law, UFCW 1518 members guarantee strong protections in their workplaces by organizing with us. Our professional services members include award-winning communications firms, and more.

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
American Income Life	Offices based in Burnaby, Port Coquitlam, Surrey, Victoria and Vancouver are all UFCW 1518 members, and AIL offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon and Winnipeg are also unionized!	Apply Here
Arrow and Slocan Lakes Community Services	Community service organization.	Apply Here
Ascension Benefits Inc.	Health insurance agency.	Apply Here
BC Indigenous Housing Society	Housing association based in Vancouver, with three unionized offices.	Apply Here
Bradson Promotional Group	Design, promotional materials and commercial branding. Kelowna office is organised with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Community Savings Credit Union	Community credit union - the branch in New Westminster is unionized with UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Connexus Community Resources	Provides individual and family support services in Vanderhoof, Fort St. James and Fraser Lake.	Apply Here
Cowichan Tribes	Based in Duncan, the largest First Nation Band in BC.	Apply Here
First United	Operates and supports community programs in the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver.	Apply Here
Interior Community Services	Provides community programs in the Interior of BC.	Apply Here
Lower Similkameen Community Services Society	Provides community programs in the South Similkameen, including Keremeos, Cawston, Ollala and Hedley.	Apply Here
Metric Strategies Inc.	A progressive communications and marketing agency.	Apply Here
Point Blank Creative	Award-winning campaigns and communications agency.	Apply Here
Realistic Success Recovery Society	Offers counselling and support for drug and alcohol addiction.	Apply Here
United Way	Provides community development projects and other programs across BC.	Apply Here

And more!

With hundreds of UFCW 1518 workplaces across BC, there’s something for everyone – here are the unionized workplaces that might not quite fit into any of the above categories… but they’re still part of our union family!

Employer	Description	Where to apply for jobs
Camp Jubilee Retreat & Conference Centre	Outdoor retreat and conference centre - managers are members of UFCW 1518.	Apply Here
Cineplex Coquitlam	Large cinema complex.	Apply Here
Victoria Event Centre	Multipurpose arts and events space in Victoria.	Apply Here

Get in Touch

If you want more information about any of the agreements we sign with employers, or if you would be interested in helping to establish a union at your current workplace, please contact us using the form below.

Find union jobs by sector