Brown Shoe

Effective October 25, 2005, the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• Wages increase by 35 cents per hour for warehouse, head shipper and red-circled workers.

  Reminder:

• Company contributions to the health plan are now at 80 per cent and workers pay 20 per cent.

• There is a three-year lag in the dental fee payment schedule.

• The company now pays $150 toward boots.

E&E Seegmiller

Effective October 1, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement.

• Across-the-board wage increases of 65 cents per hour.

• Shift premiums of 25 cents per hour worked after 6 p.m.<

• Safety shoe allowance of $130 paid in December of each year.

• Orthodontic coverage for children increases to $2250 on January 1, 2006.

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New Edinburgh Square

Effective October 1, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• Wage increases of 2.5 per cent to all rates and classifications.
  
  
• All registered staff members receive an additional 25-cent per-hour adjustment.
  
  
  Effective January 1, 2006:
  
  
• Workers have two floating holidays.
  
  
• Pension contributions increase to 45 cents per hour.
  
  
• Company contributions to the dental plan will be 80 per cent and workers will contribute 20 per cent.
  
  
• All workers qualify for a uniform allowance: $150 per year for full-time and $60 per year for part-time.

Niagara Country Fresh Poultry

Effective October 9, 2005, the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• Wage increases of 25 cents per hour for all rates.

Nova Services

Effective October 1, 2005, the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• Across-the-board wage increases of 30 cents per hour.

Sterling Place

Effective October 1, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• End rate wages increase by 2 per cent.
  
  
• Effective April 1, 2006, there will be a subsequent increase of 1 per cent to the end rates.
  
  
• Effective July 1, 2006, pension contributions will increase to 46 cents per hour.
  
  
• Effective January 1, 2006, the uniform allowance increases to $125 per year for full-time and $65 per year for part-time.

Super C Belleville

Effective October 1, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• Effective October 2, 2005, wages increase by 30 cents per hour for end rates and workers above the end rate receive a lump sum payment.
  
  
• Company contributions to the pension plan increase to 25 cents per hour to a maximum of 40 hours per week.
  
  
• Vision care coverage increases to $150, up from $100, per 24-month period.
  
  

  Reminder:

• Effective April 13, 2005, employer contributions to the dental plan increased to 25 cents per hour, up from 23 cents.

Effective October 16, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement (full and part-time):

• Wages increase by 35 cents per hour for the full and part-time top rates.

• Effective October 25, 2005, dental plan contributions increase to 32 cents per hour.

Reminder
Part-time guarantee is now achieved after a shorter period of time (see Article 10.04, Page 42 for more information).

Super C Kanata

Effective October 1, 2005 (unless otherwise noted), the following monetary improvements will occur as a result of your collective agreement:

• End rate wage increases of 25 cents per hour for all full-time classifications.
  
  
• End rate wage increases of 25 cents per hour for part-time clerks/cashiers.
  
  
• End rate wage increases of 15 cents per hour for part-time service clerks.
  
  
  
• Effective November 27, 2005, company contributions to the dental plan increase to 29 cents per hour.

  Reminder

• Part-time workers averaging 22 hours or more qualify for benefit coverage.
  

• The company contribution to the pension plan is 68 cents per hour for both full and part-time.

• Part-time workers with:

  • One or more years of seniority are guaranteed a minimum 15 hours.
    
    
  • Three or more years of seniority are guaranteed a minimum 20 hours.
    
    
  • Five or more years of seniority are guaranteed a minimum 28 hours.
    
    
  • Seven or more years of seniority are guaranteed a minimum 32 hours.

Local 175 members produce Make Poverty History bracelets

Article posted on: October 24, 2005

The worldwide Make Poverty History campaign is going strong and that is due in part to the popularity of their rubber bracelets with the embossed Make Poverty History logo.

Local 175 members at Union Pro in Toronto are responsible for producing those bracelets. The Local Union has taken a number of calls from other charity organizations looking to order their own bracelets as well which is a great boost in business and job security for these textile workers.

Trade Justice is one of the primary themes of the Make Poverty History campaign. This is very important for textile workers and workers in many other sectors whose jobs are threatened by imported goods, cheaper labour, and often illegal practices in other parts of the world.

Improved international trade rules must help promote and support decent labour laws, human rights and the end of poverty. Canadians should expect their government to create and adhere to rules that establish lasting labour and trade equity around the world instead of concentrating only on immediate financial gains.

The Make Poverty History campaign has asked that Canada only sign a World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement that includes:

• A developing country’s right to choose how they use trade policy to fight poverty and how they manage local markets and exports.
• The end of dumping below-cost goods on poor rural communities, which creates unfair competition, and penalties for those who ignore this rule.
• Access and the ability to maintain quality public services such as water, health and education for developing countries

International trade has global consequences for people and the environment and yet there is little opportunity for input from citizens and poorer countries. Trade talks must be made transparent and accountable to the public. The federal government should hold public consultations on its negotiating positions and submit draft agreements to Parliamentary scrutiny.

Raising work-related injuries awareness at South West Stewards Seminar

Article posted on: October 18, 2005

Over 200 stewards participated in the 2005 South West regional stewards’ seminar held in London on October 15 and 16, 2005.

“This is my first conference as Director of this region,” says Ray Bromley, who was promoted to South West Regional Director earlier this year. “This weekend is all about stewards’ education and the instructors tell me their classes are very enthusiastic. I’m very happy to hear that.”

“I want to thank everyone for their generosity in purchasing raffle tickets, candles, t-shirts and gifts in support of Leukemia research,” says Wayne Hanley, President of Local 175. “Together we raised over $16,000 during the two days.”

President Hanley spoke to delegates about the importance of understanding the process of filing for compensation due to workplace injury or work-related diseases.

Many workers are unaware of the Locals’ Benefits Department and the service it provides. President Hanley encouraged the stewards to call the Benefits representatives if they have any questions or if they, or a co-worker, file a WSIB claim.

A brief ‘hands-up’ survey of the delegates showed that many had experienced a workplace injury themselves while even more knew co-workers who had experienced a work-related injury.

For more information on the WSIB process or if you have a question about a work-related injury or disease, please call the Benefits Department at 1-800-565-8329 or send an e-mail to benefits@ufcw175.com.

Local 175 wins major decision regarding OHIP premiums

On October 17, 2005, the Ontario Divisional Court released its decision to uphold the earlier ruling of the Arbitrator in a grievance against the Lapointe-Fisher Nursing Home.

The original arbitration, concerning the employer’s obligation to pay a health premium introduced by the McGuinty Liberals in their first budget, took place in September 2004.

The Arbitrator ruled that the employer was responsible to pay this premium on behalf of its employees and based his decision on the collective agreement language, which required the employer to pay 100% of the OHIP premiums.

The employer filed an application for judicial review claiming the Arbitrator’s decision was unreasonable. The Divisional Court ruled that the Arbitrator’s decision was reasonable and dismissed the judicial review application. As a result, the Arbitrator’s decision stands and the employer is required to pay 100% of the OHIP premiums in accordance with the language of the collective agreement.

The payment of the OHIP premium has been at issue in a number of workplaces and has been the subject of numerous arbitrations. The obligation of an employer to pay the premiums, notwithstanding the Court’s decision, is dependent upon the language in each collective agreement.

This decision will have ramifications for unionized workers throughout Ontario. The Locals 175 & 633 saw this as an important issue for working people and fought this battle at arbitration and in the courts.

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Alberta's Lakeside Packers workers face picket limits

Article posted on: October 13, 2005

The Alberta Labour Relations Board ruled on Wednesday night that no more than 50 picketers can be outside the Lakeside Packers facility at any one time.

The ruling follows a violent start to the strike that has seen a majority of the 2,400 UFCW-represented workers at the plant walk off the job in order to secure their first collective agreement.

On Wednesday, picketers smashed the driver’s window of a bus carrying replacement workers into the facility and impeded other vehicles entry by either blocking the way or doing damage to the vehicles. Yesterday’s Labour Board ruling also ordered picketers not to touch or impede any vehicles leaving or entering the plant.

The American-owned company said it will continue to do business with scabs who cross the picket line and is petitioning the Alberta Labour Relations Board to have their most recent contract offer, which the Union rejected, put to a membership vote.

Support Lakeside Packers workers. Boycott McDonalds and Costco hamburgers

Article posted on: October 12, 2005

Lakeside Packers, owned by American company Tyson Foods, is a large supplier to McDonalds and Costco. Support your brothers and sisters in Alberta by boycotting these companies until the workers achieve a fair collective agreement.

For more information on the boycott visit http://terribletyson.com/index2.html.

Lakeside Packers workers go on strike

Article posted on: October 12, 2005

Following nine months of unsuccessful bargaining for their first collective agreement, workers at Alberta’s Lakeside Packers facility went on strike on Wednesday, October 12, 2005.

About 60 per cent of the workers at the plant are immigrants from Sudan and other parts of Africa who make between $12 and $16 per hour working at this slaughterhouse that processes approximately 40 per cent of Canada’s cattle.

A strike deadline, with majority support from the 2,400 workers, came and passed over the summer with no job action. Days before the set strike date, the Alberta provincial government imposed a disputes inquiry for both sides that prevented any job action for 60 days. Workers accepted the arbitrator’s settlement proposal but the company did not and the union subsequently rejected the company’s contract offer.

For their first contract, workers are primarily asking for health and safety standards similar to those in place at other Canadian packing houses. Workers claim the plant is dangerous and unsanitary. The facility has some of the highest injury rates of any industrialized plant in North America. Many workers suffered serious injuries and many others have been left with permanent injuries and disabilities. Also at issue is paid sick leave.

Visit www.ufcw.org for more information and updates on this strike.

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UBF Food owes worker additional benefit payments

Article posted on: October 11, 2005

A member on short-term disability benefits from UBF Food Solutions (formerly Lipton Monarch) in Belleville received an additional payment from his employer, after the union filed a grievance on his behalf.

The collective agreement stated that the worker was entitled to a 13-week benefit of 70 per cent of his usual wages. During that period, however, the grievor received only 37.4 per cent as the insurance plan had a weekly cap of just $333. The latter had allegedly been in effect since 1983, without the knowledge of the union until 2003. The Arbitrator agreed with the union’s position, finding the employer responsible for the disability payments outlined in the collective agreement, regardless of the benefit actually provided by the employer’s insurance carrier.

Legionnaires' Disease at Scarborough nursing home - not a threat to general public

Article posted on: October 7, 2005

Toronto’s medical officer of health, Dr. David McKeown, stated yesterday that the respiratory illness responsible for the deaths of 16 elderly resident at the Seven Oaks nursing home in Scarborough is legionnaires disease.

Legionnaires’ disease is NOT contagious. The cause of this illness is a naturally occurring water-borne bacteria that must be inhaled in the contaminated environment. Investigators are still trying to determine the exact source of this particular contamination.

The people who died of the respiratory illness were elderly and frail from other medical problems. Toronto Mayor David Miller emphasized that the general population has never been at risk because of the outbreak. "In identifying the source we are now able to move effectively to address it."

Premier McGuinty also insisted that there was nothing unusual with the recent outbreak and that it is not "dissimilar to what happens from time to time" in long term care homes.

As always, please take the health and safety precautions at your workplace seriously. Those policies and procedures are there to keep you, your co-workers and your patients as safe as possible.

The American media in particular sensationalized this story offering a lot of unsubstantiated and speculative information. Canadian officials have tried to correct the misinformation and often misleading journalism in these stories because the disease is NOT a threat to the general public.

Please pay attention to what the doctors and officials involved have to say regarding the illness and NOT just what the media reports.

If you have any questions, please contact your Union Rep.

Quote Sources: Globe and Mail Online Edition, October 7, 2005

Health care concerns about the flu-like outbreak at a Scarborough nursing home

Article posted on: October 6, 2005

Local 175 members working in retirement and nursing homes may see more precautions taken with patient care in light of the recent respiratory illness outbreak at a Scarborough nursing care facility.

While the specifics of the illness are still unknown, Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, Dr. David McKeown, has assured the public that the outbreak is contained and not a direct threat to the general public.

Many nursing and retirement homes and health care facilities are taking precautions similar to those developed following the SARS outbreak in 2003.

While we encourage you to take precautionary measures and follow the protocol at your workplace, we also hope you realize that this case is isolated and is not a direct threat to you or your workplace. Also, please remember, health care workers have a limited right to refuse unsafe work. You cannot refuse a task if it is an inherent part of your job and/or if the refusal would endanger the life and/or health and safety of another person.

We continue to pay close attention to this situation and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Union Rep.

The following article was in the Thursday, October 06, 2005 edition of the Globe and Mail: