An official with the union that represents workers at Windsor's Salvation Army Retail Store is calling for a boycott of the Christmas Kettle campaign.
The campaign collects money to support low-income families during the Christmas holidays.
Ted Mansell, the business agent for the Service Employees International Union Local 2 hopes people will consider donating to other charities instead in protest of the decision to shut the Walker Rd. store down on September 1.
"Only because we see no other options," says Mansell. "Without the potential of losing a lot of their public support, they're not prepared to change their position."
The store employees 22 workers, most of whom have been working there for decades. Mansell describes their work as similar to factory work or manual labour.
Mansell told BlackburnNews.com they just found out the store will close because it is losing money, something he admitted comes as no surprise. However, after years of financial problems he finds it strange the agency only now finds it problematic. At a meeting last April, Mansell says the Salvation Army did not even raise the issue.
He says if the agency wants to boost profits, they can ask their workers for ideas.
"For years now, we have been telling the Salvation Army that the store is in the worst possible location for the clientele we're trying to serve," he says. "They own that property so we have a liquid asset that we can convert through the sale and use those proceeds to set up a proper retail operation in a high density, retail-friendly area of Windsor. We're not even on a bus route on Walker Rd."
However, the Salvation Army, he says is not interested.
"We're scheduled to be at negotiations next week. That's part of our regular negotiating schedule, and they've told us don't bother coming because we're not even going to show up," he says.
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A spokeswoman for the Salvation Army, Major Pam Goodyear refuted that claim saying officials with the agency still plan to meet with the union since it also represents workers at its Centre of Hope Shelter.
Goodyear also responded to the allegation that the Salvation Army will not consider alternatives for the closure, saying it looked at relocation, but there are other factors at play.
"There was a decrease in donations coming into the store. There was an increase in operating costs as most businesses have experienced and in particular because of the now increases in minimum wage. That would have an impact as well," she explained.
Mansell admits some people may be put off by the request.
"I'm sure there will be some that will disagree with that," he admits. "I mean the alternative is to not to do the boycott and what will the Salvation Army do about the thrift store closure and throwing these people out of work? Absolutely nothing."
Goodyear says a boycott would only hurt the community's most vulnerable, because, without the funds raised, it may have to look at cutting services and programs.
