The Hudson’s Bay Co. says its agreement with the union representing workers at its store in Kamloops, B.C., has been ratified, bringing an end to a strike that lasted nearly six months.
Around 50 workers, unionized under United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1-417, walked off the job on Dec. 10 and had been picketing outside the Hudson’s Bay store at Aberdeen Mall since then.
Citing a wage dispute as the main reason for the strike, workers rejected an offer in December of a one per cent wage increase for each year of the contract.
Hudson’s Bay Co. confirmed Wednesday that a new contract has been ratified, though the company did not share any details about the agreement.
The deal came after the province appointed David Schaub as a special mediator in the contract dispute earlier this month.
“We are happy with the outcome, and look forward to welcoming associates back to store and serving our customers in the community,” a Hudson’s Bay Co. spokesperson wrote in a statement.
“We thank mediator David Schaub for his assistance in achieving a resolution, and our customers for their patience and loyalty over the last several months.”
Union representatives have previously said the store’s workers unionized in 1993 after a nine-month strike.
USW Local 1-417 had also said that there is one other unionized Hudson’s Bay store in B.C., located in Victoria.