ADM Milling workers ratify new contract

Local 175 members at ADM Milling Company in Port Colborne ratified a new three-year collective agreement on May 26, 2004. Highlights include:

• Improvements to job classifications and rates of pay. All initial wage increases are retroactive to November 30, 2003.

• Operators 1 and 2, Maintenance training and Maintenance classifications receive wage increases of 2.5 per cent in years one and two and 2 per cent in the third year of the deal.

• Workers classified as Utility receive 5 per cent in additional wages over the course of the agreement.

• Workers assigned as Relief Supervisor receive $1.25 more per hour than the highest pay rate of the workers on that shift.

• Lead person on a shift receives $1 more per hour than the highest rate of any worker on that same shift.

• Members benefit from improved pensions rates of $30 per month per year of service by the end of the third year.

• Additionally, the company agrees to increase the amount it matches on employee contributions to their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).

• Workers receive $300, up from $210, toward the purchase of safety shoes.

• Enhanced language regarding vacation entitlement and bereavement leave.

• Improved grievance and arbitration language.

Union Negotiating Committee: Leo Caron, Bob Dussault, Ken Marlor, Rolf Numsen, Rudy Vink and Union Rep Rick Hogue.

Union Negotiating Committee: Carolina Berinstein, Celia Fernandes, Union Rep Joe DeMelo and Central West Regional Director Harry Sutton.

On May 17, 2004, new members at the Anne Johnston Health Station (AJHS) in Toronto ratified their first collective agreement. In addition to standard collective agreement language, the three-year contract includes the following highlights for the 12-member bargaining unit:

• Ministry of Health wage adjustments including pay equity.

• RRSP contributions totaling 5 per cent of the worker’s annual pay, fully funded by the employer.

• Health and welfare coverage includes major medical, dental, group life, long-term disability and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D).

• Five weeks vacation entitlement for workers with 12 years of service or more.

• Full-time workers receive two paid floater holidays each year, in addition to 10 statutory holidays.

• Supplementary coverage plan for maternity leave, which tops up Employment Insurance payments to 70 per cent of a worker’s annual earnings.

• Important agreement language establishes seniority, Union Steward representation, grievance procedures, health and safety measures and anti-discrimination/harassment policies.

Union Negotiating Committee: Nancy Martin, Lewis Williams and Union Rep Fernando Reis.

Two Local 175 members at Gildan Activewear Inc. in Long Sault, Ontario, receive back pay for lost wages due to an unjust suspension.

The Union argued that suspending the workers was a double punishment, in addition to the demerit point system established by the collective agreement. “The employer needs to know that it cannot arbitrarily apply any punishment it wants to,” says Local 175 advocate Fernando Reis. “The collective agreement contained a progressive system of discipline, which the employer then unfairly added on to.”

Despite the employer’s arguments of its right to impose other punishment, the arbitrator sided with the Union and ordered the company to pay back the wages the workers lost while suspended.

Article posted: May 27, 2004

In an effort to prepare Sudbury Zellers workers for the May 2004 store closure, Local 175 offered a 30-hour introduction to computers course for affected members. Several laid-off members took part in ABCs of Computing held at the Ramada Inn, May 17 – 20, 2004, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.

The course (check course schedules for current availability) includes an introduction to computers, Microsoft Windows, Word and Excel and is accredited through the Labour Studies program at Mohawk College.

“The course was even better than I expected, absolutely everything I learned will be of use to me in the future," said Esther Tardif, a long-time Zellers worker. “It was such a relaxed and enjoyable course. Thanks you so much for this opportunity.”

Sudbury-area service representative Tim Deelstra dropped in on the class throughout the week. “I was surprised at the level of motivation of this group,” says Tim. “They were hard at work on their computers 30 minutes before the class started and would have to be nagged to take a break.”

This is only one of many courses these members and their families will be able to access. The Local will launch several new computer courses over the Internet starting in June 2004, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and more. Visit us on the web for more information on this and other courses offered through the training and education centre.

Participants in the ABCs of computing course included Ginette Major, Elva Hynes, Margaret Belfry and Natalie Peters, Esther Tardif, Julia Smith, Dawn Faucault, Carol Pombert, Jennifer Pellerin, Roberta MacNeill, Blossom Cousins, Gail Dagenais and Claire Page.

Article posted: May 21, 2004

A majority of Maple Leaf Pork workers who attended a Union membership meeting yesterday voted in favour of a new three-year agreement.

“The contract provides improvements in wages, pensions, and collective agreement language for the 1,100 unionized workers at the Burlington Maple Leaf Pork Processing facility,” says Local 175 President Wayne Hanley.

Workers will gain wage increases of up to $2.05 per hour over the life of the agreement. Company contributions to the jointly-trusteed Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to provide greater pension amounts for future credited service. There are additional improvements in Job Posting and Seniority language.

Negotiations for a renewed contract commenced on February 17, 2004. On March 20, workers voted in favour of giving their negotiating committee a strike mandate. On May 15, they rejected the employer’s earlier offer.

Union Negotiating Committee: Alphonso Devereux, Bill Foley, Lionel MacEacchern, Alicja Moskaw, Conrad Villeneuve, Union Rep Joe DeMelo and Central West Director Harry Sutton.

Article posted: May 14, 2004

Health & Safety Update regarding Unsafe Work Refusal

A change in the Ministry of Labour’s Policy Manual, effective April 28, 2004, states that Ontario Ministry of Labour (MOL) health and safety inspectors will no longer address Stage 2 work refusals by telephone.

An MOL inspector will now investigate all Stage 2 refusals in person.

Background:

In 2001, the government passed Bill 57 making an amendment to the Occupational Health & Safety Act, section 43(7). The amendment allowed the Ministry to investigate a work refusal in consultation with, rather than in the presence of, workplace parties. This set the stage for telephone investigations of Stage 2 work refusals.

Stage 2 follows an initial refusal reported to a supervisor or employer who then investigates that refusal in the presence of the worker, a worker committee member or representative (Stage 1). If the worker feels, after the investigation, that their health and safety is still endangered, the worker or employer, or someone acting on their behalf, calls the Ministry to investigate.

This change was not in the best interest of the membership. An investigation cannot be performed properly over the telephone. Locals 175 & 633 members deserve to be treated with respect and to have their concerns addressed in an appropriate fashion.

This new policy will have a positive impact on the process of work refusals and the health and safety of the membership.

In Solidarity,

Wayne Hanley
President
Local 175 UFCW Canada

Sixty-two full and part-time workers at Trent Valley Lodge nursing home, in Trenton, voted overwhelmingly in favour of joining the UFCW.

UFCW Local 175 will now represent the workers at this location, previously represented by the CAW. “The workers contacted Local 175 organizers because of several servicing issues in their workplace,” says Local 175 organizer Mona Bailey. “They rarely saw their Union Representative and had no Union representation at their meetings, having to pay for facilities out of their own pockets.”

“These new members need, and deserve, strong leadership from their Union, which is something we will give them,” says Local 175 President Wayne Hanley. “The campaign to organize these workers was very quick because they were eager to join Local 175 and were aware of the Local’s outstanding servicing record in the Health Care Sector.”

The vote, held May 11, 2004, secures better representation for their upcoming negotiations, ongoing consistent representation in their workplace and many other improvements for the nursing home workers.

This year’s annual hockey tournament, at Canlon IceSports arena in Oakville, raised $17,082 to assist the Leukemia Research Fund of Canada (LRFC). Twenty teams took to the ice from various UFCW Locals and many companies the union represents in search of a cure of this deadly disease that is the foremost killer of children under 19.

When told by a member of the Maple Leaf Brantford team that they were unhappy with their loss in the final, Central West Regional Director, Harry Sutton replied, “At this kind of successful event, we’re all winners.”

“This is the 7th year for this tournament. I remember raising $4,000 in the first year. Today we raised more than $17,000 – this is our best year yet,” says Sutton.

At this year’s tournament, TUAC Local 500 from Quebec entered a team led by coach and Local president François Lauzon. They won the final game by a score of 4-2 with an empty net goal with 38 seconds remaining in an exciting game against members at Brantford’s Maple Leaf Poultry. TUAC Local 500 claimed the first place trophy and each of their team members received individual trophies, DVD players, gift certificates and other prizes as well.

The second place team, Maple Leaf Poultry in Brantford, and the third place team, consisting of members from Bicks in Dunnville, received prizes also.

The Best Goalie award recipient Marc Tanovay received a trophy and prizes, as did the winner of most goals scored, Martin Casavani. Both players were members of TUAC Local 500.

Participants included teams from:

ADM Mississauga Bick’s Dunnville
Bunzl Canada Burnbrae Farms
Cadbury Toronto Dominion Toronto #442
Dresden Industrial Food Basics #914
Maple Leaf Brantford Maple Leaf Burlington
Maple Leaf Toronto Maple Lodge Farms
Pharma Plus Drug Marts Quality Meats Toronto
Sobeys (Axis) Milton St. Lawrence Corporation
Sun Valley Foods London TUAC Local 500
Zehrs Malden Road UFCW Local 175

Thank you to the

UFCW National Office
Canadian Council
Provincial Council
Local 247 British Colombia
Local 401 Alberta
TUAC Local 500
Bunzl Canada
Molson
Fortinos
and
Canlon IceSports in Oakville

whose donations of money and time make these events successful each year.

We would also like to give special thanks to UFCW Canada Director Michael Fraser and Local 175 President Wayne Hanley for their continued support and assistance.