Striking grocery workers' union reaches tentative deal with Metro

Metro says that it has reached a tentative deal with the union representing striking employees at 27 grocery stores around the Greater Toronto Area.

“The agreement, which is fair an equitable for our employees and our customers, is unanimously recommended by the union's bargaining committee and will put an end to the labour dispute if ratified,” the company said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The tentative deal will be submitted to the employees, who are represented by UNIFOR, for a ratification vote that will take place “shortly,” the company said.

More than 3,700 workers at stores around the GTA have been on strike since July 29.

Some of the workers have said that their wages have meant they can barely afford to buy the food being sold in the stores where they work.

Unifor said a vote on the deal is set to take place on Thursday at noon.  If the agreement passes, workers could be back on the job as soon as Thursday night, the union said.

The details of the offer have not yet been made public.

Workers are expected to remain on the picket lines until a deal is passed.

On Tuesday Metro said it had obtained a temporary court injunction to prevent striking workers from blocking a distribution centre. Picketing at the centre had been hampering fulfilment of online grocery orders.

-          With files from The Canadian Press