Workers at Buckerfield's in Duncan, B.C., ratify new agreement

Unique 'living wage scale' part of deal: UFCW

Workers at Buckerfield's in Duncan, B.C., ratify new agreement
Founded in 1919, Buckerfield's is a retailer that sells a wide variety of home and garden, animal, pet and farm items. GOOGLE STREET VIEW

Employees working at Buckerfield's in Duncan, B.C., ratified a new collective agreement on Sept. 6.

Founded in 1919, Buckerfield's is a retailer that sells a wide variety of home and garden, animal, pet and farm items. The Duncan, B.C. location is the chain's only unionized store, said the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW).

The new two-year deal contains a living wage scale, which is the first of its kind for UFCW Local 1518. Wages are determined by a regional calculation that assesses the amount of money a family of four needs to earn to meet their expenses. The living wage includes costs such as rent and groceries, as well as items like extended health care and two weeks' savings for each adult, said the union.

"It's extraordinary for an employer to research the living wage for their community and voluntarily rename the wage scale in the collective agreement as the 'living wage schedule'," said Kim Balmer, UFCW 1518 director. "In addition to a living wage scale, there are comprehensive health and welfare benefits, and the well-funded UFCW pension plan."

Latest stories