NOTICE
Greater Vancouver Area urged to hold onto donations temporarily
Support is needed from the community to hold onto their clothing and household donations due to the impacts of the strike of truck drivers and warehouse staff.
Salvation Army Thrift Store locations in the Greater Vancouver area are experiencing concerning impacts to operations due to recent strike action by local warehouse employees and truck drivers. While donations are critical to support the programs and services of The Salvation Army, our team in Greater Vancouver is unfortunately experiencing challenges to process donations at the same capacity due to the impacts of the strike, including the significant reduction in staff.
“This is a challenging situation for us to be in, and it’s having a negative impact on our local community,” says Cory Mitic, Territorial Director of Employee and Labour Relations. “While we are so grateful to our loyal donors, the safety and wellbeing of our staff who have stepped in to bridge the gap during this strike is our top priority.”
We urge Greater Vancouver Area residents to set their donations aside and bring them to a Salvation Army Thrift Store Donor Welcome Centre when normal operations resume, at which time they will be needed more than ever. While an exact date is unknown, we are doing our best to reach an agreement.
“After reaching two tentative agreements that were ultimately rejected by our employees, it is evident that the union is struggling to hold up their end of the bargain,” says Mitic. “We remain hopeful and are available to continue negotiations to bring a resolution to this strike, which is undoubtedly impacting our employees and those we serve.”
Donations are at the heart of what we do—they enable us to provide essential items at affordable prices to individuals and families facing economic challenges while generating funds to support crucial Salvation Army programs and services, including foodbanks, shelters for people experiencing homelessness, modern slavery and human trafficking prevention, addictions rehabilitation, and emergency disaster services throughout the country.
During the strike, our Port Kells Thrift Store and Langley Distribution and Recycling Centre are closed until further notice. Community members are encouraged to shop at our nearby locations and to sign up for email communications to receive updates.
We are committed to the ongoing safety of our operations in the Greater Vancouver Area (Stores, Donor Welcome Centres, Distribution and Recycling Centre, and Regional Office) as well as providing vital support to vulnerable members of our shared communities. Programs and services offered by The Salvation Army will not be impacted by the strike.
For more information, please contact us.