"Workers need a voice": A Sephora store in Canada is unionizing

It’s not just a Canadian first — it’s a North American first.

Workers at a Sephora store in Kamloops, BC, have applied to join the United Food & Commercial Workers Union Local 1518 (UFCW 1518), which will make them the first unionized Sephora beauty advisors and sales staff in Canada.

“It goes to show that no matter what the job, workers need a voice, and we’re so excited for the opportunity to represent the hardworking staff at Sephora,” says UFCW 1518 President Kim Novak.

In a tweet, Novak says the move has been made official by the BC Labour Relations Board.

We have GREAT news!

Staff at the Sephora in Kamloops have officially joined @UFCW_1518 making them the FIRST Sephora to unionize in North America 🎉💄✊

It was made official by the BC Labour Relations Board today ~ now we start talks for a first contract! @UFCWCanada #canlab pic.twitter.com/dzRjENexKo

— Kim Novak (@kim_novak_ufcw) September 7, 2022

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Novak says this win highlights a growing movement of retail workers who are standing together to build better workplaces, and the workers at Sephora want to see wage and benefit improvements so they can nurture their health while enjoying flexible schedules.

According to UFCW, one beauty advisor says that speaking up has been nerve-wracking but exhilarating. “Sephora touts ‘teamwork, initiative, innovation, and passion’… We’re showing them how powerful those values are when we use them together,” they said.

“The workers at Sephora are ready to build an even stronger workplace with great jobs that pay the bills and provide them work-life balance,” says Novak.

A release from UFCW says it represents more than 26,000 workers in BC who are pushing for fairness in the workplace.