Langley — Saturday’s bankruptcy announcement by Army & Navy has sent shock waves through the business and customer community.
BC is losing an iconic retailer that has operated in BC for over 100 years. The impact of this news is especially devastating for the 83 CLAC Local 501 members employed by Army & Navy, many of whom have worked at the stores for decades.
Longtime Army and Navy President Jacqui Cohen posted to social media:
“Our first priority is to ensure our members are treated fairly through this process,” said Dennis Watt, president of CLAC Local 501. “This was already a stressful situation, as our members had been off work as a result of COVID -19. This news only increases the uncertainty for people.”
CLAC has represented workers at two Army & Navy locations—Vancouver and New Westminster—since 2001. There are few workplaces comprised of people who have been as dedicated to their work and to each other as this group of employees.
“Not only will we be working with Army & Navy to establish fair severance packages for our members but we will also be working to help our members gain employment with other CLAC signatories,” said Ryan Bruce, CLAC spokesperson. “We will be there every step of the way, supporting our members with everything from resume writing, to retraining, to navigating the various resources afforded to workers who lose their job as a result of the current pandemic.”
The CLAC is asking employer in retail or any other sector that might be in search of new, dedicated team members, to contact CLAC at jobs@clac.ca.
