Workers at the Sephora cosmetics store in Kamloops are preparing to hold a strike vote with an eye towards wage increases and other workplace improvements.
The Kamloops store is the only unionized Sephora in North America.
The strike vote will be held Dec. 21 and 22 amid the Christmas holiday shopping rush.
The workers are represented by UFCW 1518, which has been in contract negotiations with the cosmetics giant for more than a year, the union said in a media release Thursday, Dec. 14.
The workers are seeking substantial wage increases and other workplace improvements including better flexibility in scheduling, health benefits assurances, store bonuses and more.
The union claims Sephora, whose parent company LVMH has reportedly generated more than $62 billion in revenue in 2023, has not offered reasonable wages for the employees at the Kamloops store.
“It’s the workers that help make this company profitable by creating a top-notch customer experience at Sephora all year round, and even more through the holidays,” said union president Kim Novak. “We want to see their hard work recognized by Sephora and that comes in the form of better wages and improved working conditions. That is why our members in Kamloops are taking a strike vote. After a year of negotiations, our members are ready to fight for a deal that meets these very reasonable expectations.”
Last year, the workers at the Kamloops Sephora forced what the union calls a major policy change at Sephora Canada that required employees to remain unpaid for up to half an hour at the end of their shifts while waiting for bag checks. The company rescinded the policy at all Sephora locations in Canada following the advocacy of the union on behalf of the Kamloops workers.
The union calls the strike vote an opportunity for Sephora Kamloops workers to show their solidarity and fight for better working conditions at their location and in retail stores across the province.
UFCW Local 1518 represents more than 26,000 members working in community health, hospitality, retail, grocery, industrial and professional sectors in B.C.
The Sephora in Kamloops is located in the Aberdeen Mall, and the impending strike vote comes days after workers at another store in the mall walked off the job. Workers at the Hudson’s Bay store went on strike Sunday, Dec. 10, after their union and the company were unable to reach a wage agreement.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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