Fight narrows over cannabis unionization

Cannabis products are seen on the shelves at a new Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC) store during a media preview Tuesday, October 16, 2018 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

MONTREAL - The saga the Quebec Cannabis Society unionization continues: three were fighting, and now there are two.

The United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) recommended to their members in its three branches to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE).

Workers at two of the three unionized UFCW branches in Mirabel and Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie in Montreal have already agreed to join CUPE.

Rimouski members will hold their assembly next week, said UFCW-Quebec President Antonio Filato, in an interview Thursday.

Filato claims to have made this decision in the interest of its members. He explained that since CUPE files union certification applications regionally, rather than by branch, it would increase union strength.

The Administrative Labour Court has not yet decided on this matter.

The third player is the Syndicate of Shop and Office Employees of the Société des alcools, attached to the CSN.