South Asian Earthquake

On behalf of all of the members, staff, and officers of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Locals 175 and 633, I extend my sincerest condolences to the families and friends of the victims of the horrific earthquake that took several thousands of lives and left over 2.5 million people homeless in South Asia on October 8, 2005.

We share your grief at this time as we are trying to understand the horrible nature of this tragedy. The job of rebuilding shattered lives and communities is one which may seem to be overwhelming.  As such, I ask our members to give generously to the aid organizations, which are working tirelessly in the region.

Our thoughts and prayers are with all of you who have been so cruelly affected.

In Solidarity,

Wayne Hanley
President Local 175
UFCW Canada

Contents

Locals 175 & 633 In The News

Collective Agreement

Increased parental leave among improvements for CTCHC workers

On October 28, 2005, Local 175 members with the Central Toronto Community Health Centres (CTCHC) ratified a new two-year collective agreement. The contract, which covers health care providers at the Queen West and Shout clinics, includes the following highlights:

• Wages increase to reflect Ontario Ministry of Health guidelines.

• Workers receive a one-time $500 lump sum Wellness Benefit payment.

• Extended pregnancy/parental leave to a maximum of two years.

• Vacation entitlement for workers with 10 years of service improves to six weeks and those with 25 years of service receive seven weeks.

• Workers accumulate sick days at a rate of 1.5 per month, up from the previous 1.25, to a maximum of 18 per year.

• Improved provisions for layoff, workplace health and safety, professional development and bereavement leave.

• Workers who use their bicycle for work purposes receive an allowance for maintenance.

Union Negotiating Committee: Filomena Gonzalez, Christine O’Roorke, Judy Tsao and Union Rep Fernando Reis.

Building service workers with Compass Group Canada, who work at the Eurest facility on Wellesley Street in Toronto, ratified a new three-year collective agreement at a ratification vote held October 28, 2005. Highlights include:

• Across-the-board wage increases of 30 cents per hour in the first year, 25 cents per hour in the second year and 30 cents per hour in the third year.

• Lead Hands receive a shift premium of 25 cents per hour.

• Improved vacation entitlement for workers with between 10 and 25 years service, who now receive four weeks at 8 per cent pay, and those with more than 25 years of service who receive five weeks vacation at 10 per cent pay.

• The company agrees to supply shirts for employees.

Union Negotiating Committee: Karen Maraboli and Union Rep Linval Dixon.

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Excel Coach Lines members achieve new contract

School bus drivers with Excel Coach Lines, located in Kenora, ratified a new collective agreement at a meeting held October 24, 2005. Highlights of the three-year agreement include:

• Retroactive to September 22, 2005, members receive a 2 per cent increase on the base rate plus 20 cents per kilometre and a 2 per cent increase on hourly charter runs.

• In year two, workers receive a 1.5 per cent increase to the base rate plus 20 cents per kilometre and a 1.5 per cent increase to hourly charter runs.

• In year three, workers receive a 1 per cent increase to the base rate plus 20 cents per kilometre and a 1 per cent increase on the hourly charter runs.

• Bargaining unit members receive a $100 lump sum payment on the first pay following ratification.

• Any routes less than 25 kilometres will be counted as 25 kilometres and if a route falls below its current rate it will be red circled until yearly adjustments surpass said route.

• The company will contribute 2 per cent of a workers’ gross pay to an RRSP when that employee contributes a minimum of 5 per cent of their gross pay to that RRSP.

• Drivers receive $2.50 per fill-up, which is added to their wages. Also added to wages is $7.50 per week for cleaning the interior of the bus.

• Any worker called in who reports for charter work receives a minimum of three hours pay or the value of the charter, whichever value is less, if the charter is cancelled.

• Vacation pay language clarified and those with more than 20 years service now receive 12 per cent vacation pay.

• Workers receive one and half times pay on Remembrance Day.

• Improved language regarding seniority language and leaves of absence.

• New language adding a time limit for disciplinary action.

Union Negotiating Committee: June Degagne, Neil MacDonald and Union Rep David Noonan.

Goldstein Freshmart workers achieve new contract

On October 3, 2005, members at Goldstein Freshmart in Ottawa ratified a new three-year collective agreement, which includes the following highlights:

• All rates and classifications receive wage increases of 3 per cent in each of the three years covered by the contract.

• The company’s monthly contributions toward the workers’ health and welfare plan increase by 5 cents in each year of the contract.

• Eye exams, every two years, are covered by the health and welfare plan as well

• New language includes increased provisions for part-time sick days and an allowance for sick days for part-time workers with one year of service.

Union Negotiating Committee: Mary Hogan and Union Rep Simon Baker.

Ridley Square IGA members achieve new deal

Local 175 members at Ridley Square IGA in St. Catharines secured a new three-year contract at a meeting held October 30, 2005. Highlights include:

• Workers at a wage above the grid receive wage increases of 15 cents per hour on November 3, 2006 and 2007.

• Those workers not receiving a wage increase on November 3, 2005, receive a lump sum payment of $75 for full-time and $40 for part-time.

• Part-time wages increase by 30 cents per hour over the course of the contract term.

Union Negotiating Committee: Judy Leonard, Henry Soja and Union Rep Kelly Tosato.

New contract improvements for Manoir Galleon retirement care workers

Local 175 members at Manoir Galleon in Ottawa voted to accept a three-year collective agreement at a ratification meeting held October 4, 2005. The retirement residence workers benefit from the following highlights:

• A new wage scale reflects higher classifications.

• Workers receive wage increases of between 8 and 14 per cent, over the term of the contract, based on their classification.

• Company contributions to the workers’ health and welfare plan increase to $145 per month, up from $110, over the course of the three-year agreement.

• Pension plan contributions increase by 50 per cent over the three-year contract term.

• Workers are now covered for eye exams every two years.

• Beneficial contract language changes cover bereavement leave and reduced qualifiers for statutory holiday pay.

• New language allows Stewards time off with pay when dealing with Union issues and the company agrees to pay lost wages for negotiating committee members participating in bargaining.

• Enhanced grievance language provides a select list of arbitrators to which grievances are referred.

• Other language improvements cover hours of work and lay-off.

Union Negotiating Committee: Lu-Anne Clark, Sanna Taylor and Union Reps Jacques Niquet and Simon Baker.

A majority of the members at the October 16, 2005 ratification meeting voted in favour of accepting the new contract, which was recommended by the union negotiating committee.

Highlights of the new agreement include:

Members process smoked meats and other meat and food items marketed under the Maple Leaf brand name.

egotiating Committee: Noel Barnswell, Evangelo Christakis, Danny Lepard, Les Parsons, Union Rep Anthony Di Maio and Central East Region Director, Luc Lacelle.

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Workers at Toronto’s Rekai Centre approve new contract

Local 175 members at the Rekai Centre in Toronto ratified a new collective agreement on October 4, 2005. Highlights include:

• General wages increase by 3 per cent retroactive to July 1, 2004. The top two levels on the grid receive a classification adjustment added to a base of 30 cents.

• The start rate has been eliminated and all workers move up one step on the grid.

• Retroactive to July 1, 2005, all workers receive an increase of 2.5 per cent. Immediately following, the top two levels receive classification adjustment to a base of 30 cents.

• All retroactive wage increases will be paid by October 20, 2005.

• Nurses assigned as in charge of a night, evening or weekend shift, receive a premium of $7.50 per shift, up from $6, worked as such.

• Nurses assigned as Director of Resident Care for a period in excess of one shift receive a premium of $8.50 per hour.

• All workers scheduled between 11 p.m. Friday night and 11 p.m. Sunday night receive a shift premium of 45 cents per hour.

• Retroactive to July 8, 2005, employer and employee contributions to the pension plan increase to 3 per cent. These contributions increase to 4 per cent effective the start of the final pay period in this renewal.

• Vision care coverage increases to $140 per 24-month period, up from $90.

• Life insurance increases to two times the annual salary of a worker.

• Bereavement leave, in the event of the death of an immediate family member, increases to five days, up from four.

• Nurses with more than 23 years service receive six weeks vacation per year with pay at 12 per cent of their gross earnings.

Local 175 members at Sobeys Fort Erie ratify new contract

On October 28, 2005, the bargaining unit at Sobeys Fort Erie ratified a three-year agreement that includes the following highlights:

• All rates on the progression grid receive wage increases of between 20 cents and 95 cents per hour over the course of the agreement.

• New language providing for a health & safety committee.

• Improved anti-discrimination language.

Union Negotiating Committee: Debbie Storm and Union Rep Kelly Tosato.

Local 175 members at the St. Lawrence Corporation in Iroquois accepted a new 21-month contract at a vote held October 3, 2005. Highlights include:

• Wage increases totalling 35 cents per hour over the course of the contract term.

• All workers on a 12-hour shift now receive a 75-cent per-hour premium.

• Company contributions to the workers’ health and welfare plan increase by $3.64 per week.

• The company agrees to shutdown for two weeks during the summer to allow workers two consecutive weeks of vacation.

• New language recognizes a permanent Pay Equity Committee, the wage adjustments for which will be paid by the company.

• Members of the negotiating committee receive reimbursement for lost time from the company, even if they are not scheduled to work.

• Workers receive up to six training days per year with pay, in addition to what is prescribed by law, for Health & Safety committee members.

• Workers will not be required to complete mandatory overtime if the company does not post the work schedule before Wednesday at 2 p.m. Should the company cancel a scheduled shift after it commences, the company will pay half the scheduled time, instead of four hours.

Union Negotiating Committee: Richard Dickson, Rodney Francis, Carl Gibson, Lawrence Merkley, David Murphy, Darlene Vanderbruggen and Union Rep Daniel Mercier.

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