General workers picket at Value Village, New Westminster

Value Village workers on a picket outside the firm's New Westminster outlet. Workers seeking a first contract through the General Workers Union Local 1 complained of poverty-level wages, harassment and differing rates for the same work. News coverage left the impression the workers were striking a charity, but Value Village is a US multi-million dollar corporation that buys clothing gathered by charitable organizations at low prices. U.S. negotiators for the company had walked out of two negotiating sessions. The General Workers Union itself had been criticized for signing "sweetheart" deals in the past and undermining true labour unions, but labour agreed the workers deserved their support.