Sobeys lays off 50 in Winnipeg

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The consolidation of Sobeys Winnipeg cheese and ice cream operations will cost 50 employees their jobs, Unifor Local 468 was informed today.

“It’s always disappointing to learn about layoffs in the name of cost-cutting at a profitable firm like Sobeys,” said Scott Doherty, Unifor’s Western Director.

Sobeys told employees that its Lucerne Foods Winnipeg plant will close on August 29, 2014. Sobeys bought Safeway in June 2013 and promised at the time to retain Safeway workers.

“Our members are shocked because this came out of the blue and contradicts earlier Sobeys statements about job security. We’re all quite saddened,” said Mark Armstrong, President of Local 468.

Unifor was founded Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. With more than 300,000 members, Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector.