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By Mel Rothenburger

ARMCHAIR MAYOR

ROTHENBURGER: Strike at Bay store is more bad news for the Christmas economy

Dec 11, 2023 | 5:55 AM

HUDSON’S BAY STORE union workers went on strike yesterday in Kamloops, which comes at a bad time both for the store and for shoppers.

Few details were released about the contract issues that led to a breakdown in bargaining, but the United Steelworkers issued a news release with all the usual language that characterizes these disputes.

You know what I mean: the company, they insist, refuses a “reasonable” wage increase, the company demands concessions, and employees just aren’t going to put up with corporate “bullying” anymore.

HBC, for its part, has taken the high road, saying it respects its employees and the bargaining process.

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Christmas is a popular time to strike. Workers at the Rogers Sugar refinery in Vancouver, the second largest in the country, went on strike several weeks ago, well in time to create shortages as Canadians were getting ready to do their Christmas baking.

That one kind of snuck up on us — overnight, it seemed, the sugar shelves were bare at the grocery stores.

In Quebec, there’s the public-sector strike affecting schools and healthcare. They say it could last until Christmas, robbing university students of exam time.

Christmas strikes aren’t new, of course. Postal workers and airline workers are good examples of those who’ve walked out during the holiday season in the past.

For a lot of retailers and service providers, Christmas is the worst possible time to be hit with a strike. The three months leading up to Christmas are generally regarded as the most important of the year for them.

But it’s also true that shopping habits are changing. Every year, local media and chambers of commerce emphasize the importance of shopping local but, fact is, online shopping is becoming more and more popular to the detriment of store-front retailers.

A strike only drives more shoppers to other options. It’s common wisdom that every strike ends. But some are more costly than others.

I’m Mel Rothenburger, the Armchair Mayor.

Mel Rothenburger is a regular contributor to CFJC Today, publishes the ArmchairMayor.ca opinion website, and is a recipient of the Jack Webster Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award. He has served as mayor of Kamloops, school board chair and TNRD director, and is a retired daily newspaper editor. He can be reached at mrothenburger@armchairmayor.ca.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.