Hudson's Bay court at Devonshire Mall in Windsor, February 20, 2017. Photo by Mark Brown/WindsorNewsToday.ca.Hudson's Bay court at Devonshire Mall in Windsor, February 20, 2017. Photo by Mark Brown/WindsorNewsToday.ca.
Windsor

Unifor urges worker protection as HBC enters creditor protection

Just days after The Hudson's Bay Company applied for, and got, credit protection, the union that represents 320 of its workers has an ask.

Unifor urges the 354-year-old company to prioritize workers' wages, pensions, and benefits during restructuring.

Unifor Local 240 and 40 represent workers at stores in Windsor, Kitchener, Toronto Sherwood Gardens, and HBC's Toronto e-commerce warehouse.

HBC plans to shut down 40 of its 80 stores to avoid bankruptcy.

"Friday's news left HBC employees reeling with uncertainty of what's to come and anticipating the worst," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "Through what's sure to be a difficult period, HBC is still bound by its collective agreements."

Those contracts expire later this year.

"While the company may be blaming tariffs, HBC workers have been concerned about the future of the company for some time. Unifor members remain committed to HBC's continued operations and are entitled to the protections bargained in their contracts," added Payne.

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