Retail and Wholesale
Almost one-tenth of the CAW's membership works in the broader retail and wholesale sector of our union, or over 23,000 members. About three-quarters of our members work in supermarkets. This is one part of the broader retail industry where workers have been able to build stable union penetration and bargaining power (thanks to the more capital intensive nature of the business and the important role it plays in the community). Our remaining members work in a huge variety of retail, wholesale, and warehouse operations - including drug stores and department stores.
There is enormous organizing potential in this largely non-unionized sector of our economy. Labour force statistics show that 2.6 million Canadians work in this sector. The vast majority of them do not enjoy the protections of a union. Since the retail and wholesale sector has been one of the largest job-creating sectors in the overall economy; it is essential that unions show we can be a central part of this growth.
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