Workers at Rio Brazilian Steakhouse in Vancouver have voted unanimously in favour of their first collective agreement with UFCW Local 247. With last week’s ratification, they set a solid foundation for their union in an industry with notoriously complex labour conditions.
Employees at Rio’s Denman Street location applied to the BC Labour Relations Board to unionize with UFCW Local 247 in late 2024. With overwhelming employee support, their union was certified automatically.
“With most workers at Rio coming from Brazil, the workplace came to represent a sense of comfort and community,” said UFCW Local 247 President Dan Goodman. “But there were also contradictions, especially around the employer observing employment standards rules. These workers came to us for help, and as a union, that’s what we’re here for.”
Once certified, a union bargaining committee comprised of employees and UFCW Local 247 staff was formed to gather employee priorities and negotiate with the employer.
After thirteen meetings, the employer and the union committee reached a tentative agreement on a two-year first collective agreement, which was then voted on by the members working at the restaurant.
Improvements include:
Scheduling fairness, such as:
Wage increases tied to inflation-based minimum wage increases for all employees and a modest wage scale that guarantees increases based on length of service for most classifications.
Transparency and employee control over the administration of gratuities.
Numerous improvements on many Employment Standards Act protections as well as easier enforcement of workplace labour laws.
Complaints procedures that allow members to challenge unfair or discriminatory treatment.
Early on in the process, the union bargaining committee identified the need to ensure employees had a direct understanding of the process of achieving their first collective agreement.
The committee encouraged broad member participation in negotiations meetings with the company, including having a rotating position and encouraging any member to attend on their own time.
“Collective bargaining can come across as some mysterious process,” said union lead negotiator, Mike Toal. “But it’s ok to be transparent. Sometimes, the best way to understand something is through direct experience. So we opened things up.”
“By the time we reached a tentative agreement with the employer, 75% per cent of our members had attended at least one bargaining meeting,” he continued. “People knew the priorities, the challenges, and what went into getting their first agreement. And they built a lot of solidarity along the way.”
In achieving their first collective agreement, Rio employees not only achieved a legally-binding document on their workplace rights – they got engaged and empowered, building their union in the process.
