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Improved
wages and benefits for workers at Canteen of Canada
On July 29, 2004, 15 members at Canteen of Canada
in Cambridge ratified a renewed three-year
collective agreement including the following highlights:
Across-the-board
wage increases of 3 per cent in each year of the agreement.
Increased
hourly shift premiums of 50 cents, up from 40 cents,
for relief route persons. In addition, the training
shift premium increases to 50 cents per hour, up from
45 cents. Improved
pension benefits resulting from increased company contributions
to the workers’ Canadian Commercial Workers Industry
Pension Plan (CCWIPP). Increased
contributions to the UFCW Trusteed Dental Plan (Ontario).
The
annual shoe allowance increases to $90, up from $60. Bereavement
leave entitlement improves to 5 days in the case of
the death of a parent, child or spouse. Improved
contract language includes decreasing the sunset clause
from 15 months to 12 months and improving recall rights
to 36 months. Additional
changes include language improvements regarding seniority,
grievance procedure, stewards and doctor’s notes.
Union
Negotiating Committee: Ross McCoy and
Union Rep Richard Wauhkonen.
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Hamilton
Coke workers ratify new contract
One hundred and twenty-five unionized workers at Hamilton's
Coca-Cola Bottling facility voted in
favour of a last minute settlement at a ratification
meeting held on July 1, 2004. A majority of workers
approved the memorandum of settlement to gain a new
agreement with better wages, pensions and other improvements
The
ratification comes just hours before the strike deadline.
The bargaining unit secured wage increases in the amount
of $2.15 per hour. In addition, company contributions
to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension
Plan (CCWIPP ) increase to provide an improved retirement
benefit.
As
well as better monetary compensation, workers won significant
benefit improvements. The annual maximum family coverage
for the prescription drug benefit rises to $15,000,
from $10,000. Additionally, there are increases in the
life insurance coverage, short- and long-term disability
benefits, and the safety shoe or boot allowance. Workers
will also be assured a reduced but fully-paid workweek
during weeks with one or more statutory holidays.
“These
members are hard working and deserve a fair settlement
that truly reflects their dedication and ability,”
says President Wayne Hanley. “They
worked long and hard in negotiations, and as a result
received better improvements to their collective agreement.”
Union
Negotiating Committee: Jim Barr, Dave
Leonard, Alice Sooley and
Union Rep Chris Fuller.
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Workers
at Fiedler Meat Products achieve three-year deal
On
July 10, 2004, members at R. Fiedler Meat Products
Ltd. in Simcoe ratified a
new collective agreement. Highlights for the 30 members
of the bargaining unit include:
All
workers receive an increase of 25 cents per hour retroactive
to February 4, 2004. Full-time
rates increase by a total of 70 cents per hour over
the course of the agreement. Part-time
wages increase by a total of 50 cents per hour during
the agreement. There
are two new full-time classifications: Rollstock Operator
and Rib Saw Cutter. Company
contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry
Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to provide an improved
retirement benefit for the members. The
company will now cover 75 per cent, up from 70 per cent,
of the premium costs for the full-timers’ Health
and Welfare plan. The
Weekly Indemnity Benefit increases to 60 per cent of
a worker’s base rate to a maximum of $400 per
week. As
of March 1, 2005, the company will contribute 30 cents
per hour per full-time permanent worker to the UFCW
Dental Plan. Vacation
entitlement improves for workers with more than 12 years
of service. Qualified workers now receive four weeks
vacation and vacation pay at 2 per cent of their annual
earnings. Improved
language regarding steward representation, the grievance
procedure and layoff and recall.
Union
Negotiating Committee: Bill Furey,
Gary Von Every, Stan Watson
and Union Rep Rick Hogue.
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Three-year
contract for Hallmark Housekeeping
On July 3, 2004, building cleaners at Hallmark
Housekeeping, who work in the Scotia
Bank building in Toronto,
ratified a new three-year collective agreement. Highlights
include:
Wage
increases of 25 cents per hour in each year of the agreement.
The first increase is retroactive to January 4, 2004. Company
contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry
Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to provide an improved
retirement benefit for the members. Improved
language regarding sick days. Full-time workers are
entitled to seven days per year and part-time receive
three days. Health
and safety language improvements result in better worker
representation on the Health & Safety Committee
and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System
(WHMIS) training for all members of the bargaining unit.
Union
Negotiating Committee: Manolo Alurralde
and Union Rep Joe DeMelo. BACK TO
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Better
wages and pension benefits for Maple Leaf workers
Workers at Maple Leaf Distribution
in Burlington ratified a new three-year
deal on July 17, 2004. These workers are represented
by UFCW Canada Local 707. Contract highlights include:
Wage
increases of 35 cents per hour in each year of the deal
with the first raise retroactive to June 28, 2004. There
are also some category adjustments. Company
contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry
Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to 68 cents per hour
by the end of the agreement. Life
Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
coverage maximums increase to $20,000 each. The
employer will contribute 30 cents per hour to the United
Food & Commercial Workers Trusteed Dental Plan (Ontario). Improved
language regarding overtime and holidays. Improved
grievance language protecting workers from unjust discipline
and human rights violations among other grievance issues There
is a new letter of agreement establishing a Joint Food
Safety Committee, which protects the health and safety
of the workers and ensure product quality.
Union
Negotiating Committee: Mary Anne Sheremet,
Brian Ogilvie, Carlton Johnson
and Central West Regional Director Harry Sutton.
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Community
Care workers ratify three-year deal
Members at the Vera M. Davis Community Care
Centre in Bolton, ratified
an agreement on Sunday, July 11, 2004. Contract highlights
include:
Wage
increases for all classifications by 2.5 per cent in
the first year, 3 per cent in the second year and 3
per cent in the third year of the contract. All
workers receive a $250 signing bonus upon ratification. Workers
certified as Health Care Aides receive a shift premium
of 15 cents per hour. Vision
coverage increases to $300 per 24-month period, up from
$240. Uniform
allowances increase for both full and part-time workers. Improved
contract language including: steward representation,
grievance procedures, seniority, job posting and filling
and leaves of absence.
Union
Negotiating Committee: Jane Busby,
Lorraine Jennings, Sinceray
McCabe, Linda McMahon and
Union Rep John DiFalco.
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Anniversary
Updates
For
more information on your collective agreement please
contact your Union Representative.
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Encore
Communications
Effective
as of July 1, 2004, the following monetary improvements
will occur as a result of your collective agreement:
-
Schedule
“I” wages increase by 3 per cent
across-the-board.
Company
contributions to the Health & Welfare plan
increase to $140 per month per employee, up
from $135. Workers
receive one paid floating holiday per year. Workers
are entitled to three paid sick days per year. Bereavement
leave entitlement is five days in the event
of the death of an immediate family member.
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Grober
Inc.
Effective
July 1, 2004, the following monetary improvements
will occur as a result of your collective agreement:
-
Wages increase by 2.7
per cent across-the-board.
Company contributions
to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry
Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to provide an
improved retirement benefit. Health and Welfare coverage
increases to $32,500 for both Life Insurance
and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
benefit. Dental plan contributions
increase to 29 cents per hour resulting in improved
coverage. Eye glass and/or contact
lens coverage increases to $170. Annual tool allowance
is $180. Workers receive one paid
floating holiday per year and workers with 20
years of service or more receive five weeks
vacation at 10 per cent of their annual earnings. Bereavement leave entitlement
is up to three days depending on the circumstances
and the relation of the deceased to the worker.
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Kraus
Carpet Mills
Effective
as of July 1, 2004, the following monetary improvements
will occur as a result of your collective agreement:
-
Wages
increase by 2.5 per cent.
Hourly
shift premiums increase to 35 cents for the
2nd Shift Afternoon and to 40 cents for the
3rd Shift Nights. Company
contributions to the workers’ Canadian
Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP)
increase to provide an improved member retirement
benefit (effective July 2, 2004). Extended
health care premiums increase by 3 cents for
a total payment of $1.13 per hour. Dental
plan contributions increase by 1 cent per hour
to bring the hourly payment to 31 cents. Tool
allowance increases to $215 per year.
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Homewood
Health Centre
Effective
July 17, 2004, the following monetary improvements
will occur as a result of your collective agreement:
-
Wage
increases of 2.5 per cent across the board.
Registered
Practical Nurses (RPNs) receive 45 cents plus
Entry Level Member 15 cents. Shift
premiums increase to 55 cents per hour, up from
50 cents. Full-time
receive an improved footwear allowance of $60,
up from $55. Part-time receive $40, up from
$35. Stand
By pay increase from $2.30 per hour to $2.50
per hour.
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Homewood
Health Centre (Switchboard)
Effective
July 17, 2004, the following monetary improvements
will occur as a result of your collective agreement:
-
Wage
increases of 2.5 per cent across the board.
Shift
premiums increase to 55 cents per hour, up from
50 cents.
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Zehrs
Effective
as of July 1, 2004 (unless otherwise noted),
the following monetary improvements will occur
as a result of your collective agreement:
-
On
August 15, 2004, full-time workers receive a
$1,000 lump sum payment, if hired prior to October
2, 2004, and end rate or 30 cents per hour to
previous years hours worked (refer to page 74
of your collective agreement.)
Company
contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers
Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to provide
an improved member retirement benefit. Workers
with 25 years of service, or more, receive an
improved vacation entitlement of six weeks at
12 per cent of their total earnings. Vision
coverage is $125 per 24-month period.
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Locals
175 & 633 In The News
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Meat-processing
workers strike for first contract
Article posted: July 28, 2004
New
Local 175 members working at the Mid Town
Meat ham-processing plant have been on strike
since Wednesday, July 14, 2004 after negotiations
on a first contract broke down.
The
workers want the company to implement a wage grid
as well as improvements to wages, benefits and contract
language. Workers also want the right to transfer
both themselves and their contract if the company
decides to relocate to a new facility in Trenton.
Currently, the plant is located in Wellington,
south of Belleville.
On
July 1, 2004 – after five days of negotiations,
three of which took place with a province-appointed
conciliator – the Union and company reached
agreement on all issues except wages, a wage grid
and transfer rights. Subsequently, the company backtracked,
withdrawing what it had agreed to earlier. Instead
it presented a new, inferior “final” offer.
A majority of members who attended the union ratification
meeting rejected this offer thereby beginning the
strike.
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$9,000
raised to fight Leukemia
Article
posted: July 27, 2004
The
Better Beef Barbecue Leukemia Fundraiser on July 21
and 22, 2004, helped raise almost $9,000 to benefit
the Leukemia Research Fund of Canada (LRFC).
Workers
at the Guelph plant made this event a great success.
Thank you to all those who contributed their time
and money for this great cause.
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GTA
Hertz Canada workers on strike!
Article
posted: July 16, 2004
As
of 6 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2004, approximately 180
unionized workers at Hertz Canada
locations across the Greater Toronto Area
(GTA) began legal strike action. The strike follows
the membership’s rejection of the company’s
latest offer for a renewed collective agreement.
The
workers, represented by Local 175 of the United Food
& Commercial Workers (UFCW) Canada, want to see
improvements to wages, benefits, shift premiums, vacation
entitlement and shift bidding language. Bargaining
unit members include Counter Service Representatives
and Vehicle Service Attendants. Locations include
those at Pearson Airport, the Hudson’s Bay Company
(downtown Toronto), the Skydome and Union Station.
“These
workers deserve a contract that reflects the hard
work of our members,” says UFCW Local 175 Central
East Regional Director, Jerry Clifford.
“We fully support the workers in their strike
for appropriate compensation.”
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Alpine
Graphics workers end strike
Article
posted: July 09, 2004
On July 9, 2004, members at Alpine Graphics
in Toronto agreed on a three-year
collective agreement that brought an end to their
weeklong strike. The employer initially wanted a 5
per cent rollback on all wages but the workers held
out for raises and other improvements to their contract.
The
new contract includes the following highlights:
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Across-the-board
wage increases.
A
signing bonus for all workers. A
new Christmas bonus for all workers. Increased
employer contributions to the workers Local 175 Health
& Welfare Fund. Increased
contributions to the worker’s pension plan resulting
in improved retirement benefits. Improved
language regarding the posting and forwarding to the
Union of seniority lists. “We
had 100 per cent support during the strike,”
says Union Rep Anthony DiMaio. “It’s through
the hard work of these members on the picket line
that we were able to achieve this deal.” The
strike began on July 5, 2004, when the company locked
out the workers after they rejected what the company
deemed their ‘last offer.’
Negotiating
Committee: Everett Hisscock and Union
Rep Anthony DiMaio.
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Alpine
Graphics workers locked out after rejecting latest offer
Article
posted: July 7, 2004
On
July 5, 2004, members at Alpine Graphics on Norfinch
Drive in Toronto, who are attempting to negotiate
a new contract, were locked out by management.
Union
rep Anthony DiMaio says the company appears to be
bargaining in bad faith with a “take it or leave
it” attitude. After the initial meeting the
employer demanded that the negotiating committee take,
what it termed to be its final offer, to the membership
for a vote. When they rejected the offer, the company
presented a second “final offer,” which
was inferior to the first one. The membership again
rejected the offer in a government-conducted vote
on Wednesday, June 23, 2004.
“We
have 100 per cent support from members and customers,”
says DiMaio. “No one has crossed the picket
line and we’re prepared to stay out as long
as it takes to secure an acceptable new offer.”
The workers are seeking wage increases, including
a defined progression grid, along with the maintenance
of pension and other benefits and improvements to
contract language.
“We
were ready to continue talks after the second offer
was rejected,” DiMaio says. “But instead
management chose to lock out these workers.”
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