Nearly 90 employees at Craig’s Cookies have chosen to unionize at five stores in Toronto as the Canadian chain continues its national expansion. In a two-week effort that began in early December, over 85 employees decided to unionize with Unite HERE Local 75, a union representing workers in the food service and hospitality sectors. These employees are spread across five Craig’s Cookies locations in Toronto, including East York, Church-Wellesley, Leslieville, Parkdale, and Union Station.
The primary catalyst for unionizing was the elimination of paid breaks, as stated by Daniel Janvier, a researcher at Unite HERE Local 75 involved in the organizing campaign. Workers also expressed concerns about stagnant wages in comparison to industry standards and the impact of inflation on their earnings.
A spokesperson for Craig’s Cookies acknowledged the employees’ decision to unionize and affirmed the company’s commitment to fair compensation and benefits for its team members. The company, founded by Craig Pike in 2013 as a home baking venture, has seen significant growth, with 22 stores across Canada, predominantly in Ontario, Calgary, and St. John’s. A new location is set to open in Halifax in the upcoming year.
The move towards unionization by Craig’s Cookies workers is notable in the Canadian food services industry, which has seen a decline in unionization rates over the years. According to Statistics Canada, only 5.2% of the food services sector was unionized in 2023, making the unionization of Craig’s Cookies employees a distinctive development in the industry.
