The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
The head of the union at Extra Foods in Thompson says the grocery chain sought too many concessions from workers in order to keep the store open. Jeff Traeger, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 832, said proposed concessions on wages, pensions and benefits were 'far too great.' 'Our members were being asked to give up most of their compensation package so that Extra Foods could make even more money,' he said. 'We are currently hoping to work with Canada Safeway to see if there is any opportunity for our Extra foods members to work at their store in Thompson once the Extra Foods closes.' Craig Ware, director of corporate affairs for Western Canada for parent company Loblaw, said the Extra Foods store will close June 23 because it 'is no longer economically viable to operate.' 'I can assure you that the decision to close this store was not taken lightly,' Ware said. 'A wide variety of possible options were considered and discussions were held with the local union, unfortunately however an agreement was unable to be reached. 'While we are disappointed to be closing this store, the decision is not a reflection on the colleagues from that store. They have been committed to serving the people of Thompson for many years and we are working through a transition plan for them.' Lost jobs Loblaw closed its Extra Foods store in Flin Flon last October, resulting in the loss of 45 jobs, 17 of them full-time. Extra Foods joins a growing list of national retailers to pull out of Thompson since last September. Loblaw, the largest food retailer in Canada, was started in Toronto in 1919 by Toronto grocers Theodore Pringle Loblaw and J. Milton Cork. - John Barker and Matt Durnan, Thompson Citizen
