Metro Stores in Greater Toronto Area Close as Workers Go on Strike

A worker walks around a Metro grocery store in Toronto, July 18, 2023. The Canadian Press/Cole Burston

Metro locations across the Greater Toronto Area are closed today after thousands of employees at the grocery chain formally went on strike.

Unifor, the largest private-sector union, says some 3,700 frontline store employees walked off the job just after midnight.

It says members of Local 414 rejected a tentative labour deal reached last week, but provided few other details.

Picket lines at some of the 27 affected locations formed at 8 a.m., and Unifor is set to hold a news conference at one east-Toronto store later this morning.

Unifor says stores affected by the strike will include those in Toronto and its suburbs, Brantford, Orangeville, Milton, Oakville, Brampton and Mississauga.

Metro Ontario Inc. a subsidiary of Metro Inc., issued a statement saying it is “extremely disappointed” that employees at the 27 locations rejected the agreement even though the union bargaining committee unanimously recommended its members accept the deal.

“The company has been negotiating with the union for the past few weeks and reached a fair and equitable agreement that meets the needs of our employees and our customers while ensuring that Metro remains competitive,” Metro Ontario said in the statement.

“The settlement provided significant increases for employees in all four years of the agreement, as well as pension and benefits improvements for all employees, including part-time employees.”

Metro Ontario said the 27 stores will be closed for the duration of the strike, but pharmacies will remain open.

The union has said its priorities for Metro workers were improving pay and access to benefits, as well as improving working conditions and stability.

Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement that the tentative agreement was brought to members because it contained “considerable gains” but they have made it clear that it isn’t enough.

“This decision to go on strike comes after years of these workers being nickelled and dimed while facing increased precarity and eroded job quality,” Payne said.

“It comes after having pandemic pay stripped away. It comes at a time of record profits and soaring CEO compensation. It comes at a time when life has become simply unaffordable for so many of these workers who risked their health and safety during the pandemic.”

Gord Currie, president of Unifor Local 414, said in the same statement that front-line grocery workers deserve respect.

“You know the system is broken when front-line workers can’t afford food, rent or gas,” he said.