Loblaw has advised the union that June 13 will be the final day $2 per hour bonus pay is paid.

In late March, as public health officials were taking dramatic steps to stop the spread of Covid-19, Loblaws began paying a temporary $2 per hour bonus to its employees backdated to March 8.

Loblaw also advises they will give everyone who worked between March 8 and June 13 a one-time bonus payment.

In a letter to all employees dated June 11, Loblaw says, “More details will follow, but the bonus will be paid to frontline colleagues Loblaw-wide who have worked shifts since March 8 and are with us on June 13. It will be the equivalent of about 2 weeks’ worth of the premium, based on your average hours worked during these 14 weeks.  The bonus will be added to your first cheque in July.”

With the introduction of plexiglass shields, social distancing, and other new safety measures like temperature screening in their stores, Loblaws joins major food retailers in Canada and the US that have ended bonus pay programs as well.

UFCW 247 staff continue to work with Loblaw to address health and safety issues with personal protective equipment in the stores.

UFCW Canada issued the following response:

UFCW Statement on COVID-19 premium pay

Toronto – June 11, 2020 – UFCW Canada is disappointed that employers in various sectors across Canada are choosing to stop paying COVID-19 premium pay while the pandemic continues, and some provinces are still enforcing precautionary measures.

UFCW Canada acknowledges that premium pay was introduced as part of the COVID-19 response, but the union also expressed that premium pay should be maintained throughout the pandemic.

The health and safety of UFCW Canada members is – and has always been – the union’s top priority. And, with that in mind, we must also acknowledge that many employers have acted upon UFCW Canada recommendations to better protect members, their families, and numerous communities. UFCW Canada will continue to meet with employers to maintain these achievements and further advance health and safety protocols across the country.

UFCW Canada is pleased that society as a whole has come to better appreciate and recognize the crucial work that our members do in many important sectors of the economy. Throughout the pandemic, UFCW Canada members have gone above and beyond as frontline workers. And the issues, needs and concerns identified throughout the COVID-19 pandemic will be top priorities for the union in future collective bargaining efforts.

In addition to employers, UFCW Canada will continue pressing provincial and federal governments for further health and safety advancements to better protect our members on the front lines.