UFCW - Local 832
Your voice at work in Manitoba
United Food & Commercial Workers
Become a Member
The Top Three Reasons Why People Join UFCW Local 832
- Improved wages and benefits
- More on-the-job respect
- Increased job security
In Manitoba workplaces, if a majority of workers indicate they want to be members of a union, they are entitled by law to do so.
To Join the UFCW Local 832 call Sonia Taylor, Director of Organizing
1-888-832-9832 or email sonia.taylor@ufcw832.com
The Four Steps to Becoming a UFCW Local 832 Member
Step 1 -You Sign a UFCW Application Card
If enough people in your workplace also sign cards, we can apply to the Manitoba Labour Board for certification of your workplace as a unionized facility.
Step 2 - Your Wish for Union Representation is Confirmed
If 65 per cent or more of the workers in the proposed bargaining unit sign union membership application cards, the Labour Board will automatically certify UFCW Local 832 as their bargaining unit.
If between 40 and 64 per cent of the total number of people in the proposed bargaining unit sign union membership application cards, the Manitoba Labour Board will conduct an election in your workplace within five working days of the certification application being filed. If through their ballots a majority of your co-workers confirm their desire for union representation, your workplace will be certified as a UFCW Local 832 bargaining unit.
Step 3 - We Negotiate your first Union Contract
After your workplace is certified, work on obtaining a union contract begins. One of the first steps is a union proposals meeting which all members are urged to attend.
At that meeting, you'll be able to discuss your ideas for what improvements are needed in your wages, working conditions, and benefits. A full-time professional negotiator, working with a committee of your co-workers, will then meet with your employer to discuss those improvements.
Step 4 - You Vote to Accept your First Union Contract
When a tentative agreement is reached that the negotiating committee thinks meets your priorities, a meeting will be held at which the proposed agreement will be explained. After all of your questions have been answered, you will be asked to vote to accept or reject the agreement. The agreement will not be finalized and signed until the majority of workers have approved it by secret ballot.
In the case of a stubborn employer who tries to drag out negotiations for an unreasonable length of time, the union has the option of asking the Minister of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to assist in talks. Should an agreement still fail to be negotiated at the bargaining table, the union has the option of requesting the Manitoba Labour Board to impose a first agreement. This can avoid the possibility of a strike being necessary during negotiations for a first contract.
Overall, strikes by Local 832 members are a rarity. More than 95 per cent of Local 832 negotiations result in a contract being reached at the bargaining table without having to resort to a strike.