Contents

Collective Agreements

Aramark Canada workers secure new contract

Local 175 members at Aramark Canada ratified a new collective agreement on February 4, 2005. Highlights include:

• Wage increases totalling 75 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• Improved language with regard to leaves of absence, holidays and vacation entitlement.

Union Negotiator: Union Rep Linval Dixon.

Better Beef workers secure wage and pension improvements in new contract

On February 6, 2005, approximately 1,100 workers members at Better Beef in Guelph secured a new three-year collective agreement.

Highlights of the agreement include wage improvements of 25 cents per hour in each year, plus a $2,800 signing bonus and an additional seniority bonus of $1,000 for each year of service.

Company contributions to the workers’ pension plan also increase to $22 per week upon ratification, $23 per week in 2006 and $24 per week in 2007. Dental plan coverage improves with the addition of denture care at 60 per cent coverage, with a $1,000 lifetime maximum per family member. Vision care coverage increases to $700 per family, or $300 per single, per 24-month period. In addition, the company will cover one eye exam – no longer covered by OHIP – per 24-month period for each family member.

The company will now pay for lift truck training for those workers requiring it and also compensate them for the time spent at the course. Improved contract language applies to seniority, bereavement leave, hours of work, overtime and layoffs.

Union Negotiating Committee: Peter A Bortolon, Barb Courchesne, Louise Croft, Bryan Denise, Rudy Gwinner, Jim Keller, Bob Munro, Scott O'Donnell, Chris Watson and Union Rep Angus Locke.

Retirement home workers achieve wage, pension and other improvements

On February 2, 2005, health care workers at the Caressant Care retirement home in Fergus, ratified a new three-year collective agreement. The new contract is patterned after earlier Hospital Labour Disputes Arbtiration Act (HLDAA) settlements at Caressant Care nursing homes in Fergus and Listowel. Highlights include:

• Across-the-board wage increases of 2 per cent retroactive to January 31, 2004, 2.5 % in January 2005 and another 2.5% in 2006.

• Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) receive an additional $1 per hour on top of wage increases over the course of the agreement.

• Increased vision plan coverage of $175 per 24-month period, up from $100.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to 60 cents per hour plus additional increases based on wages.

• Increased uniform allowance.

• Improved dental plan contributions.

• Improved holiday pay and vacation language allowing five weeks of vacation after 15 years of service and 6 weeks of vacation after 20 years of service.

• Improved union dues and e-mail language.

Union Negotiating Committee: Brenda Montgomery, Jean Skerritt and Union Rep Richard Wauhkonen.

Hurley Corporation cleaners approve three-year deal

Cleaning staff at Hurley Corporation – working at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga – achieved a three-year contract at a ratification vote held February 6, 2005. Highlights include:

• Across-the-board wage increases of 50 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• Employer contributions to the health and welfare plan increase by 5 cents per hour in each year of the agreement to a total of 85 cents per hour by the final year.

• New health and safety language that establishes a worker representative.

• Bereavement language improves to include two days leave for the death of a grandparent or grandchild.

• Improved dues remittance and work scheduling language.

Union Negotiator: Union Rep Joe DeMelo.

Workers at Independent Linen reach four-year deal

Local 175 members at Independent Linen in Ottawa ratified a new four-year collective agreement at a vote held February 27, 2005. These workers provide laundry, dry cleaning and uniform rental services to many different industries in the Ottawa area.

Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases totalling $1.15 to the end rates of all classifications.

• The wage scale is now part of the collective agreement.

• Lead hand premiums increase to 75 cents per hour, up from 50 cents.

• Statutory holidays are now considered time worked for overtime calculation.

• New language states that unscheduled overtime is voluntary.

• Pension plan contributions increase to $2.25 per week, up from $2, for all members of the bargaining unit.

• Dental coverage increases to $130, up from $100, per year, and is now cumulative from year to year.

• New language improves the working conditions through better sanitation and maintenance of the workers’ lunch and restroom facilities.

Union Negotiating Committee: Alex Albert, Rakesh Panchal and Union Rep Simon Baker.

Journey's End workers approve three-year collective agreement

Local 175 members at the Journey’s End hotel in Windsor ratified a new three-year contract on February 11, 2005. Contract highlights include:

• Across-the-board wage increases of 2.5 per cent, retroactive to October 31, 2004, 3 per cent in 2005 and another 3 per cent in 2006.

• The company will begin contributing to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) on behalf of the workers in the bargaining unit on November 1, 2006.

• Full-time workers receive an annual bonus of $200 and part-time receive $100 per year.

• Maintenance personnel receive a $100 clothing allowance as well as a shoe allowance.

• Bereavement leave entitlement improves to provide five days paid leave in the event of the death of a parent, spouse, child or step-parent.

• Language improvements changes stewards language to read “shall have” instead of “may have” a steward present.

• Other language improvements cover union dues, steward introductions to employees, reinforcement of the Health & Safety Act, referral of arbitration and time limits.

Union Negotiating Committee: Jo Ann Rutt and Union Rep Julie Johnston.

Lassonde Juices workers ratify new three-year contract

On February 2, 2005, Local 175 members at Lassonde Juices in Ruthven ratified a new three-year collective agreement. Workers at this facility produce Rougemont, Brights and Tetra Pac juices.

Highlights include:

• Wages increase initially by 20 cents per hour across the board retroactive to January 1, 2005.

• Additional increases total $1.10 per hour over the course of the agreement.

• All seniority workers receive a $300 signing bonus.

• Machine operators receive an additional 25 cents per hour while working on either the 48-ounce or 40-ounce label machine.

• Lump sum payments of $50, two times per year, for each seniority worker in lieu of providing uniform shirts. This amount increases to $60 in the third year of the agreement.

• Workers receive $75 per year toward the purchase of safety shoes/boots.

• Mechanics, full-time Stationary Engineers and one full-time Batchmaker receive two payments of $75 per year toward the purchase of safety shoes/boots.

Union Negotiating Committee: Garth Dutot, Neil Handspiker and Union Rep Julie Johnston.

Members at Loeb Brockville ratified their first collective agreement at a meeting held February 27, 2005. This first agreement establishes language covering grievance procedures, stewards, representation and seniority. Contract highlights include:

• Wage increases totalling $1.80 per hour to the end rates over the course of the agreement, with the first increase retroactive to December 26, 2004.

• workers receive a $525 lump sum payment in the first year of the contract and part-time receive a sum equivalent to 25 cents times the average hours per week times 52 weeks.

• Those scheduled to temporarily relieve a higher rated position receive an additional $8 per day or $40 per week.

• A worker temporarily relieving a department head receives a premium of $12 per day or $60 per week.

• Full-time workers receive vision care coverage improvements of $100 every 24-months.

• The company will pay 100 per cent of dental premiums, up from 75 per cent.

• Part-time who qualify will have medical coverage, life insurance and AD&D through the company plan starting June 1, 2007. Prior to this agreement, part-time workers did not qualify for benefits.

• The company will contribute into the dental plan on behalf of part-time workers beginning June 1, 2007.

• Employer contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) will begin on June 1, 2008. Rates of contributions will increase in each of the following two years.

• Both full and part-time workers receive one floater holiday each year.

• Full-time receive between two and five weeks of vacation depending on length of service (beginning after one year of service) and part-time receive vacation pay between 4 per cent and 10 per cent of their annual income depending on their length of service.

• Workers receive a safety boot allowance of $55 for full-time and $50 for part-time.

Union Negotiating Committee: Jeannie Hindriksen, Frank Murphy, Allan Scott, Union Rep Paul Hardwick and Eastern Regional Director Dan Lacroix.

Pharma Plus workers across Ontario reach new deal

Over 1,500 full and part-time workers at 152 Pharma Plus locations across Ontario secured a new three-year collective agreement at ratification votes held on Sunday and Monday. Highlights include:

• Wage increases of between 90 cents and $2.08 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• Workers assigned to relieve a store manager for one day or more receive an hourly premium of $2.

• Workers designated as ‘in charge’ of store openings receive a $1 hourly premium for the first three hours of work. Those in charge of closing receive a $1 hourly premium for the last four hours of work.

• Full-time workers receive 25 cents per hour for every hour worked after 6 p.m.

• Employer contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase by 20 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• Effective the date of ratification, the company will cover the cost of one eye examination in each 24-month period for each person covered by the plan.

• Company contributions to the dental plan increase in each year of the agreement.

• New No Violence in the workplace clause that provides every worker with a safe work environment.

• Improved language covering dues reporting, schedule posting and scheduling.

Union Negotiating Committee: Julie Flynn, Paula King, Dianne MacInnes, Frank McNutt, Sue Schouten, Sophia Verrydt, Lynn Willis, Union Rep David Noonan and Central West Regional Director Harry Sutton.

New contract for workers at Ray Plastics

Approximately 120 workers at Ray Plastics in Toronto secured a new three-year collective agreement at a vote held on February 5, 2005. Highlights include:

• Wage increases totalling $1.15 over the three-year contract term.

• QA Inspectors receive an additional 10 cents per hour in each year of the contract for a total wage increase of $1.45.

• Workers receive a $50 bonus, in the form of a food voucher, at Christmas time.

• A new clause commits the company and union to co-pay (at a ratio of 50:50) for committee members’ lost time during negotiations.

• Company contributions to the benefit trust plan increase by 9 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• Employer contributions to the worker’s dental plan increase by 14 cents per hour over the three-year term.

• The company agrees to make increased contributions to the Training & Education Fund.

Union Negotiating Committee: Sheorattan Doolari, Rachel Gilgeous, Rita Sookdeo and Union Rep Paul Jokhu.