Contents

Collective Agreements

Workers at Bicks secure new deal

On April 16, 2004, members at Robin Hood Multifoods Corporation – Bick’s Tank Farm – in Delhi ratified a three-year collective agreement securing better health and welfare coverage and pension benefits.

Highlights include:

• Lead Hands receive an initial wage increase of $1.25 per hour and subsequent raises of 25 cents per hour in both the second and third year of the deal. Tank Yard Labourers and General Maintenance/Labourers receive 25 cents per hour in each year of the deal. All initial wage increases are retroactive to January 1, 2004.

• Seniority holding employees can now bank overtime work up to a maximum of 10 days, up from five days, per calendar year and take time off in lieu of payment.

• Those whose shifts begin between 11 a.m. and 6:49 p.m. receive a shift premium of 65 cents per hour. Workers on a shift beginning between 7 p.m. and 4:59 a.m. receive a shift premium of 90 cents per hour.

• Pension Plan supplements increase to $17 per month per full year of service, by the third year of the deal.

• Life insurance coverage increases by $1,000 per year for a total of $36,000 by the end of the agreement

• The company will provide each worker with safety boots, two summer and two winter coveralls (including dry cleaning), a rainsuit, five pairs of gloves, eye protections and respirators.

• Workers also benefit from improved grievance language.

Union Negotiating Committee: Ralph Middleton and Union Rep Rick Hogue.

Caressant Care RNs among top paid in nursing homes

Following two days of mediation and one day of hearings under the Hospital Labour Disputes Arbitration Act (HLDAA), workers at the Caressant Care Nursing Home in Listowel now have a collective agreement settlement that reflects their hard work, dedication and need for appropriate compensation.

Highlights of the three-year contract include:

• A cumulative increase over the three-year term of 13.5 percent assuming a minimum increase of 3 per cent for the last two years of the agreement. This is equivalent to 4.5 per cent per year or $4.04 per hour in each year of the deal.

• RNs receive one of the highest Nursing Home rates in the province.

• Employer contributions to CCWIPP increase benefits immediately to $36.92 per month per full year of future credited service. This results in the workers receiving one of the highest CCWIPP pension benefits among the Local’s health care units. There will be subsequent increases to the contribution rate, in both 2005 and 2006, equivalent to the percentage wage increases

• Workers with 20 years of service or more, which is applicable to about 75 per cent of this unit, receive improved vacation entitlement of six weeks and 12 per cent vacation pay.

• Dental coverage improves with employer contributions to the UFCW Trusteed Dental Plan increasing to 29 cents per hour, with two subsequent increases in 2005 and 2006. This also means the workers receive one of the highest dental coverage amounts, of the UFCW Trusteed Dental Plan, of the Local’s health care units.

These gains are in addition to previously agreed upon new terms and renewed terms of the previous contract.

Contact Building Services took over cleaning contracts for Omni Facility Services Inc., also represented by Local 175, and the company refused to recognize both the existing collective agreement and the Union’s representation of the workers. Union Reps had to sign up employees again and reapply to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). Initially, the company fired eight workers but the Union filed charges at the OLRB and all eight got their jobs back with compensation and no lost seniority.

Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases totaling 75 cents per hour by the end of the collective agreement.

• Clear grievance language protecting members’ job security and safety in the workplace.

• Improved vacation entitlement providing workers with six years of service with three weeks of vacation per year and those with 10 years of service or more are eligible for four weeks of vacation each year.

• Language protecting seniority, layoff and recall rights and job vacancy policies.

• General language covering leaves of absence and paid holidays.

Union Negotiating Committee: Raquel Ramirez and Union Rep Paul Jokhu.

Holiday Inn workers secure contract improvements

On Saturday, April 24, members at the Holiday Inn Select, in Windsor, ratified a renewed collective agreement. Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases totaling 3 per cent retroactive to the expiry of the previous agreement and an additional 3 per cent in 2004, 2005 and 2006

• Company RRSP contributions for full-time staff totaling $750 by the end of the contract term.

• An improved number of sick days to reflect a true six paid sick days per year.

• An additional $200 per 24-month period for vision care coverage and improvements to the dental plan as well.

• Increases to the training allowance to 75 cents per hour, up from 50 cents.

• Four complimentary rooms for UFCW Training & Education sessions in years 2004, 2005, and 2006, and one room for 2007.

• New charity fund language and numerous other language improvements throughout the agreement.

Union Negotiating Committee: Mike Collins, Kim Rivait, Madelaine Verbridge, Union Rep Julie Johnston and South West Regional Director, Teresa Magee.

Hurley Coporation workers in Oshawa ratify new deal

Cleaning and maintenance workers at Hurley Corporation, working in the Oshawa Centre, ratified a three-year collective agreement on April 25, 2004. Contract highlights include:

• A new wage scale for all non red-circled workers.

• Wage increases totaling a minimum of 65 cents per hour by the end of the deal.

• All initial wage increases are retroactive to April 1, 2004.

• Increased contributions to the workers’ major medical coverage of 2 cents per hour per year.

• Improved dental coverage resulting from increased contributions of an additional 1 cent per year.

Union Negotiating Committee: Jeff Kellar, Doris Potter, Kirk McKee and Union Rep Mike Brennan.

Maple Lodge garage workers ratify new deal

On March 31, 2004, garage workers at Maple Lodge Farms in Brampton voted in favour of a new collective agreement including the following highlights:

Wages increases of 35 cents per hour in the first and second year of the agreement and 45 cents per hour in the third year of the deal.

• Retroactive improvements to the employer’s CCWIPP contributions increasing the member’s pension benefit to $36.92 per month per full year of future credited service.

• An annual safety footwear allowance of $125. This amount increases to $130 in February 2005 and $135 in February 2006.

• Life Insurance coverage increases to $35,000.

• In February 2005 vision care coverage increases to $200 per 24-month period.

Union Negotiating Committee: James B Rodgers and Union Rep Fernando Reis.

Members at Marek Hospitality in Kitchener voted in favour of a new collective agreement on April 29, 2004. Highlights of the agreement include:

• Wage increases of 3 per cent in each year of the contract.

• Improved shift premiums of 40 cents per hour, up from 35 cents, for all hours worked between 4 p.m. and midnight, and 65 cents per hour, up from 60 cents, for hours worked between midnights and 6 a.m.

• Improved dental coverage resulting from increased contributions to the UFCW Dental Plan of 28 cents per hour by the final year of the agreement.

• Improved contributions to the UFCW Benefit Trust Fund of 63 cents per hour, up from 60 cents per hour, by the end of the contract.

• Vision care coverage improvements of $180, up from $140, for employees and $80, up from $60, for dependants.

• Full-time staff now receive Easter Monday as a paid holiday.

• Bereavement leave improves to 5 days in the loss of a parent.

• Improved language regarding uniforms, grievance procedures and arbitration time limits.

• New language additions include employer-paid doctor’s notes, a sunset clause of 18 months, contributions to the UFCW Charity Fund and the employer will now cover 50 per cent of the cost of meeting rooms used for Union purposes.

Union Negotiating Committee: Mary Ann Dobson, Carolin Flint and Union Rep Richard Wauhkonen.

Contract improvements for workers at Victoria Retirement Centre

Workers at the Victoria Retirement Living Centre in Cobourg ratified a new collective agreement on April 15, 2004. Members at this location include Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs), Personal Support Workers (PSWs), Cooks and Housekeeping Staff.

Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases totaling between 10 and 25 per cent for full and part-time workers.

• Two new full-time co-ordinator job classifications.

• A shift premium of 25 cents per hour for those working shifts beginning between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m.

• The Wellness Co-ordinator receives a shift premium of 50 cents per hour over the Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) rate.

• Fifteen years of service or more entitles workers to five weeks vacation with pay at 10 per cent of their annual earnings.

• Vision care coverage increases to $120 every two years.

• In lieu of benefits, part-time staff receive an additional 20 cents per hour, up from 15 cents.

• The company will now match RRSP contributions to a maximum of 2.5 per cent, up from 2 per cent, of the worker’s annual earnings.

• Uniform allowances increase to $75 per year, up from $600, for full-time and $50 annually, up from $40, for part-time staff.

Union Negotiating Committee: Lisa Rooney, Patty Wells and Union Rep Ray Bromley.

Walfoods GM Diesel workers ratify three-year deal

Workers at Walfoods GM Diesel plant in London secured a new collective agreement on April 29, 2004. Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases of 35 cents per hour in each year of the contract.

• Improved shift premiums of 45 cents per hour, up from 35 cents, for hours worked between 4 p.m. and midnight, and 70 cents per hour, up from 60 cents, for all hours worked between midnight and 6 a.m.

• Increased relieve rate of pay of $1 per hour, up from 75 cents.

• An additional paid floating holiday.

• Improved vision care coverage of $200, up from $150, for each employee and $200, up from $115, for each dependant.

• Improved dental coverage from increased contributions of 27 cents per hour, plus an additional 1 cent per hour in each year of the deal.

• Improved Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage of $25,000, up from $15,000.

• Bereavement leave entitlement increases to 5 days in the loss of parent, child or spouse.

• Doctor’s notes now paid for by the employer.

• New language regarding the UFCW Charity Fund.

• Improved language regarding leaves of absence, seniority, job postings, arbitration time limits, the sunset clause, grievance procedures and Steward representation.

Union Negotiating Committee: Donna Thompson and Union Reps Tim Deelstra and Richard Wauhkonen.