Supreme Court Of Canada To Hear Case Of Laid-Off Quebec Wal-Mart Workers

Ottawa, Ontario (AHN) - The Supreme Court of Canada agreed to listen to the appeal of dismissed Wal-Mart workers from the grocery chain's Saguenay outlet in Quebec. But no definite date has been set for the hearing.

The workers, dismissed in 2005, were members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The union won a certification at the Quebec outlet of Wal-Mart in September 2004, but did not sign a contract agreement with the retail chain. By the time the union had elevated the matter for arbitration, Wal-Mart announced it was shutting down the outlet.

The workers told a Quebec labor tribunal that they became unemployed because of the union activities. Wal-Mart maintained it close the Saguenay store because it was unprofitable.

Andre Dumas, president of the local 503, told the Globe and Mail, "Nobody believes Wal-Mart closed for economic reasons... Everybody knows it's because the people unionized."

Wal-Mart Canada has 301 stores across the nation and six Sam's Club outlets run by 75,000 employees.