Unifor Mobilizes in Toronto and Windsor to Defend Hudson’s Bay Workers

TORONTO — Unifor is staging solidarity rallies in Toronto and Windsor on Tuesday, May 27, to demand that Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) protect workers’ rights as the iconic retailer undergoes a liquidation process.

The union, which represents nearly 600 HBC employees through Locals 40 and 240, is calling on the company to honour its obligations to workers by protecting wages, pensions, and benefits—and is urging the federal government to overhaul Canada’s insolvency laws to better shield workers from corporate collapse.

📍 Rally Details

• Toronto: HBC Logistics, 100 Metropolitan Rd, Scarborough
  🗓️ Tuesday, May 27 | ⏰ 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
  🎤 Speakers: Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi, Local 40 President Dwayne Gunness, and HBC warehouse workers

• Windsor: Hudson’s Bay at Devonshire Mall, 3100 Howard Ave (rear lot)
  🗓️ Tuesday, May 27 | ⏰ 12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
  🎤 Speakers: Local 240 President Jodi Nesbitt, Unifor Retail Director Sharon Walsh, and frontline retail workers

🔍 Unifor’s Demands

In addition to immediate protections for workers impacted by HBC’s liquidation, Unifor is advocating for federal reforms to Canada’s insolvency and corporate accountability frameworks. The union’s key demands include:

• Raising the cap on the Wage Earner Protection Program (WEPP)

• Strengthening super-priority for workers’ claims in bankruptcies

• Holding corporate directors liable for unpaid compensation

• Establishing federally guaranteed trust funds to ensure workers receive what they’re owed

“These workers built the Bay,” said Unifor leaders in a joint statement, “and they deserve respect and security—not to be last in line when companies fail.”

🧾 Who is Affected?

Unifor represents approximately 595 Hudson’s Bay employees at locations in Windsor, Kitchener, Toronto (Sherway Gardens), and the e-commerce warehouse in Scarborough.

With Hudson’s Bay being one of Canada’s oldest retailers, the liquidation has raised alarm about how corporate restructuring processes treat long-term employees—many of whom have decades of service.

About Unifor

Unifor is Canada’s largest private sector union, representing 320,000 workers across a range of industries. The union plays a key role in advocating for workers’ rights, equality, and labour justice across the country.

For more information on Unifor’s campaigns, visit: unifor.org

Follow GTA Today for updates from the May 27 rallies in Toronto and Windsor.