Kamloops Sephora employees to hold strike vote ahead of busy holiday shopping rush

Workers at the Sephora in Aberdeen Mall are set to hold a strike vote later this month, ahead of the busy holiday shopping rush.

Workers at North America’s only unionized Sephora have been in contract negotiations with the company for more than a year.

A release from UFCW 1518 says they are seeking “substantial” wage increases and other workplace improvements, including better flexibility in scheduling, assurances of health benefits, store bonuses and more.

According to the union, Sephora’s parent corporation has reportedly made more than $62 billion in revenue this year but refuses to offer reasonable wage rates.

“It's the workers that help make this company profitable by creating a top-notch customer experience at Sephora all year round, and even more through the holidays," said UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak.

"We want to see their hard work recognized by Sephora and that comes in the form of better wages and improved working conditions.”

Novak says that after a year of negotiations, union members are ready to fight for a deal that meets their expectations.

This wouldn’t be the first time employees have fought for improvements at their workplace.

Last year, workers forced a major policy change at Sephora Canada that required employees to remain unpaid for up to a half hour at the end of their shifts while waiting for bag checks.

Following their advocacy, the company rescinded the policy across all locations in Canada.

Employees will be holding a strike vote on Dec. 21 and 22.