Home Depot Ottawa employees:

You can make a difference at work and for your family by forming your own Steelworkers union!

Home Depot employees want and deserve fairness, respect and to be safe and healthy at work.

You can make a better future a reality for yourself and your co-workers. The best way to do this is to work together to join a union.  

We represent many workers in various occupations, including steel-making, forestry, mining and smelting, health care, warehousing and more. Our health and safety staff work with local unions to reduce stress, defend members, advise on workers' compensation matters, negotiate for better health and safety conditions and lobby for better regulations and standards.

There are real, tangible benefits to joining a union. Here are just some of the advantages and what you have to gain by joining the USW:

·      You know when you will get a raise and how much it will be

·      You have a legal contract that protects your wages, benefits and working conditions

·      You can raise workplace concerns without fear for job security

·      You and your co-workers have a real voice about your contract that outlines your working conditions, pay and benefits

·      You have the support of professional advocates and legal counsel

·      You have fairness and respect at work

·      You have security through a formal process to dispute unjust or arbitrary discipline

We hope you join your coworkers and sign the online membership card. You can sign it online - from your phone, tablet or desktop! 

Once enough workers have signed, we will file an application with the Ontario Labour Board, who will then conduct a vote.  We will keep you updated every step of the way.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Darlene Jalbert
USW District 6 Organizing Coordinator
djalbert@usw.ca
613-362-4414

Frequently asked questions about a union:

What is a union?

A union is simply a group of workers who have banded together with the goal of improving the lives of its members, their families and their communities. One person standing alone may be weak, but workers joined together have strength. When you are a member of the Steelworkers Union, YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! A union means having a voice on the job and taking an active role in shaping your life at work.

What does it mean to be a Steelworkers union member?

As a union member, you elect a committee of your co-workers to represent you at the bargaining table and to address daily issues at work. You will also have access to professionally-trained USW staff who will help negotiate a strong and fair contract and address issues with your employer.

As a union member, you will be asked about your priorities at work, and what those priorities will be. Your contract is negotiated every few years and provides stability at work, to help you and your family plan for the future. In addition to voting on your bargaining committee members, you will also have a chance to vote on your contract.

Can you tell me more about the United Steelworkers union?

The United Steelworkers Union (USW) is the largest private sector union in North America with more than 225,000 members in Canada and more than 1.2 million active and retired members across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.

Every year, thousands of workers choose to join the USW because of our strong track record of creating safer workplaces, and negotiating better working conditions and fairer compensation – including good wages, benefits and pensions. After all, you work hard at your job, so do we.

Our union started in the steel industry back in 1942 and has since expanded to proudly include workers in nearly every industry, in nearly every job, in all regions of the country.

WHERE DO USW MEMBERS WORK?

USW represents workers in all sectors – right across the economy. Members work in call centres and credit unions, mines and manufacturing plants, offices and oil refineries, restaurants and rubber plants, sawmills and steel mills and security companies. We also work in nursing homes, legal clinics, social agencies and universities, just to name a few. While most of our members work in the private sector, a growing number of USW members work in public sector industries like health care.

What happens when it’s time to negotiate a contract?

The USW look to our members for input on how to improve daily work life. No more one way decision making. You elect your bargaining committee who will work with a USW Staff to bargain.

We don’t negotiate concessions. When we start from where you’re currently at. This means no drop in wages or benefits. In addition, benefits would continue during slow periods.

Collective bargaining agreements vary across industries and jobs, but some of the common items included in a contract are:

• Clear rules around hours of work and scheduling
• Wages and pay raises
• Benefits, including health and dental
• Greater job security
• Holidays and vacation entitlement
• Dispute resolution