Calgary – September 26, 2024 – UFCW 401 Hilton members have overwhelmingly voted in favour of joining the National Defence Fund as they continue their ongoing negotiations to achieve a new collective agreement.
“As we can see with the hotel strikes by over 10,000 workers that unfolded on Labour Day, it’s important to be prepared,” said President Thomas Hesse of UFCW Local 401. “The financial backing of the NDF is a crucial part of that preparedness for our movement, allowing us to bargain from a position of strength when it’s needed most. That’s what makes [a] ‘Yes’ vote a major step towards securing better working conditions and fair compensation in these challenging times.”
UFCW Canada’s NDF operates as an insurance plan in case of strike or lockout. Local bargaining units opt in to participate after members vote in favour of joining the NDF, and each member then pays regularly into the fund. The fund is invested to grow and provide benefits to any participating bargaining unit in need.
NDF members on strike or lockout will receive extra money weekly on top of regular picket pay. Local bargaining units also receive many other benefits from the NDF, like strike training and picket line support to help hold the line.
For more than 35 years, the NDF has provided UFCW Canada families with extra financial resources and negotiating strength when faced with a strike or lockout. This is crucial during those pivotal times when members are fighting to achieve the respect and fairness that all hard-working people deserve.
