MONTREAL -- Two Couche-Tard convenience stores in Montreal have closed their doors over unionization, said CBC News. The first closed in April, shortly after workers received their union accreditation, according to the CSN Labor Federation. The second closed September 15 as workers were negotiating their first collective agreement, the report said.
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. did not respond to CSP Daily News requests for comment. In April, the company said in a statement that the first c-store was closed because it was not profitable.
"Despite measures to turn around the situation, the location in question didn't meet the standards established by the company and also wasn't profitable," the retailer said. There was no other choice but to "go ahead with its immediate closure," it added.
The second store was locked up last Thursday afternoon, hours after unionized employees enacted pressure tactics, included wearing union stickers on their uniform shirts, to bolster contract talks, said the report.
Cashier Luis Donis said when he showed up for his shift at 5:00 p.m., his manager told him he wasn't going to work. "He said we should come into the back store, and said we had two minutes to pick up everything we had, our personal belongings, whatever, and to get out," he told the news agency.
Earlier this year, Couche-Tard president Alain Bouchard sent a video message to employees, saying the company would be forced to close stores if employees joined a union, added a report by the Canadian Press.
Earlier this month, the company defended its labor policies as fully respecting Quebec's laws after workers took their fight for their first collective agreements to shareholders attending the company's annual meeting. They were told Couche-Tard risks its reputation unless it adopts more worker-friendly policies. Bouchard refused to specifically address the grievances of workers; however, he insisted the company respects its legal obligations.
The labor federation said in a statement that it will "undertake all appropriate legal remedies to challenge the closure[s]."
Laval, Quebec-based Couche-Tard's network is comprised of 5,795 convenience stores, 4,128 of which include motor fuel dispensing, operated by 13 business units, including nine in the United States covering 43 states and the District of Columbia (primarily under the Circle K banner), and four in Canada covering all 10 provinces (mainly under the Couche-Tard and Mac's banners). More than 53,000 people are employed throughout Couche-Tard's retail convenience network and service centers.
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