Locals 175 & 633 In The News

Collective Agreements

Anniversary Updates

Anamet members gain wage and benefit improvements

Local 175 members working at Anamet Canada in Colborne secured a new collective agreement at a ratification meeting held June 19, 2007. The 9-member bargaining unit gains the following improvements in their new three-year contract:

• Wages increase by 50 cents per hour in each year of the contract term.

• NMUA classification receives a special adjustment of 40 cents per hour and Maintenance workers receive a special adjustment of 75 cents per hour.

• Vision care coverage increases to $170, up from $150, over the term of the agreement and the company will cover the cost of prescription safety glasses.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase by a total of 16 cents per hour over the duration of the contract.

• Workers with 25 years of service or more receive six weeks of vacation.

• Bereavement leave improves to four days for the death of a parent, child or spouse.

Union Negotiating Committee: Trevor Audenaert, Ron Carter and Union Rep Chris Fuller.

Compass Group workers at Etobicoke General approve new contract

Local 175 members working for Compass Group at Etobicoke General Hospital voted to ratify a new three-year collective agreement at a meeting held June 22, 2007. The 14-member bargaining unit secured the following improvements:

• Wages increase by 30 cents per hour retroactive to June 2, 2007 and again by 30 cents per hour on June 2, 2008. In the third year, workers receive a raise of 21 cents per hour.

• Vision care coverage increases to $250 per 24-month period and workers receive $50 toward eye examination costs per 24-months exclusive of the vision benefit.

• Improved language covers time limits, steward representation, leaves of absence and bereavement leave.

Union Negotiating Committee: Madhu Chadha and Union Reps Mona Bailey and Judith Burch.

Retail grocery workers in Kirkland Lake approve of new contract

On June 3, 2007, the 29 members of the bargaining unit at the Kirkland Lake Grocery Depot secured a new three-year contract

• All wages and classifications receive across-the-board increases of 2 per cent in each year of the agreement.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase by 6 cents per hour by the end of the contract term.

• Part-time workers with 10 years of service or more receive an additional week of vacation bringing their total entitlement to four weeks at 9 per cent pay.

• Eye wear coverage increases by $50 to a total of $150 per 24-month period.

• Dental plan contributions increase to 31 cents per hour by the final year of the agreement.

Union Negotiating Committee: Kim Villeneuve and Union Rep Tim Deelstra.

Maple Lodge garage workers secure improvements

On June 12, 2007, Local 175 members working in the garage facility of Maple Lodge Farms in Brampton, voted to secure a new three-year collective agreement. Members achieved the following improvements:

• Wages increase by a total of $1.40 per hour over the duration of the contract with the first increase retroactive to February 1, 2007.

• The safety footwear allowance increases in each year of the contract to reach an annual amount of $150 by the third year.

• Contributions made by the company to the UFCW Trusteed Dental Plan increase to $12.80 per week, effective October 1, 2007, $13.20 per week as of October 1, 2008 and $13.60 per week on October 1, 2009.

• Vision care coverage improves to $225 per 24-month period. This amount increases to $250 effective February 1, 2009.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase to 65 cents per hour per worker effective February 1, 2007 and to 70 cents per hour per worker as of February 1, 2009.

• Improved language covers bereavement entitlement and provides enhanced life insurance and AD&D coverage.

Union Negotiating Committee: Rajinder Badyal, James Rodger and Union Rep Fernando Reis.

First contract for members at Grafton recycling facility

Members at the Northumberland County Material Recovery Facility in Grafton voted in favour of their first collective agreement at a meeting held June 7, 2007. The two-year contract contains monetary improvements and important language for the approximately 50 members of the bargaining unit, including the following highlights:

• Wages increase by 3 per cent in both the first and second year of the contract term.

• Maintenance workers receive a shift premium of 25 cents per hour for Saturday work and all employees working on Sunday receive double time pay.

• Overtime will be paid after 42 hours worked instead of 44.

• The workers now receive short-term disability coverage and they also benefit from improved eye glass coverage of $250 and chiropractic coverage of $300.

• Workers receive a half day off for both Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

• Part-time staff will be scheduled based on seniority and three full-time jobs have been added to the bargaining unit.

• Language establishes a grievance procedure to help better protect the members’ jobs and the provisions laid out in the collective agreement.

Union Negotiating Committee: Tracy Derry, John Goody and Union Rep Chris Fuller.

OMNI Health Care workers meet to ratify new contract

At meetings held June 13 and 14, 2007, the approximately 210 members working at four OMNI Health Care nursing homes voted to ratify a new three-year collective agreement. Members, who work at Kentwood Park (Picton), Maplewood (Brighton), Rosebridge Manor (Jasper) and Westlake Terrace (Picton), benefit from monetary improvements and important new language addressing workloads.

• Wages increase by 2.25 per cent in each year of the contract with the first increase retroactive to January 1, 2007.

• Registered Nurses (RNs) at Maplewood receive additional wage adjustments of 25 cents per hour in each year (for six years of service); 50 cents per hour in each year (for seven years of service); 75 cents per hour in each year (for 8 years of service; and $1 per hour in each year for 9 years of service.

• A new weekend premium, for hours worked between Friday at 11 p.m. and Sunday at 11 p.m., will be paid at 5 cents per hour, effective date of ratification, 10 cents per hour as of January 1, 2008, and 15 cents per hour in the third year of the deal.

• The in-charge premium increases to $6.50 per shift as of ratification, $7 per shift in the second year and $7.50 per shift in the final year.

• Group Insurance co-pays increase over the duration of the collective agreement to reach 8 per cent employer with 3.5 per cent contribution from the employee.

• Employer contributions to the workers’ dental plan increase to 33 cents per hour as of January 1, 2009.

• Company contributions to the Canadian Commercial Workers Industry Pension Plan (CCWIPP) increase by a total of 20 cents per hour over the duration of the contract term.

• Language improvements address layoffs, Christmas/New Year’s scheduling and members with 20 years or more of service now receive six weeks vacation paid at 12 per cent of their gross earnings.

• Bereavement leave entitlement improves to include step-children, step-parents and step-siblings.

• Important new language establishes a clear no harassment/discrimination policy and addresses the joint health and safety committee’s rights and responsibilities with respect to employee workload.

Union Negotiating Committee: Barb Fox, Wanda Maginniss, Lisa Mills, Barbara Prowse, Janet Robinson, Kathy Top, Karen Vaughan, Monica Wright and Union Reps Simon Baker and Marilyn Lang.

Health care workers at Perth Community Care approve new contract

The approximately 105 Local 175 members working at Perth Community Care achieved a new collective agreement. The three-year contract, ratified June 29, 2007, secures monetary increases as well as improved language:

• All rates receive increases totalling $1.10 per hour over the course of the contract.

• Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) receive an additional adjustment totalling 75 cents per hour.

• Workers receive a new shift premium of 30 cents per hour for weekend work and the Supervisor/Coordinator relief premium increases as well.

• Dental contributions made by the company increase to 33 cents per hour, up from 31 cents.

• Group insurance contributions increase to 11.5 per cent of gross earnings, up from 10 per cent.

• Company contributions to the workers’ pension plan increase to 70 cents per hour, up from 49 cents.

• Improved vacation language now includes vacation pay as earnings for calculating vacation pay and workers can now carry over vacation time to the following year if mutually agreed upon.

• Other improvements cover bereavement leave, adoption leave, union representation language, increased uniform allowance and increased employer contributions to the Training & Education Fund.

• The company will pay four days per year for union-provided health and safety training.

Union Negotiating Committee: Darlene Matthews, Wallace Paddick, Debbie Wendelboe and Union Rep Simon Baker.

Ratification at Dr’s John & Paul Rekai Centre

On Monday June 4, 2007 the approximately 16-member Registered Nurses bargaining unit at the Rekai Centre and Wellesely Central Place in Toronto approved a new three-year collective agreement including the following highlights:

• Wages increase by an average of 60 cents per hour every 6 months of the contract duration. The total increase for those at the top rate is $3.87 over the life of the collective agreement.

• Shift premium increases by 5 cents per hour and weekend premium increases by 10 cents per hour.

• Important new language provides policy on violence in the workplace including consultation with the joint health and safety committee and training for employees.

• Language improvements cover time limits and the employer will pay 100 per cent of the OHIP premiums

• Language and benefit coverage improvements for those workers beyond age 65. 

Union Negotiating Committee: Glenda Idolor, Evangeline Lacuesta and Union Rep John DiFalco.

Trent Valley Lodge members achieve better health and safety protection

On June 8, 2007, health care members working at the Trent Valley Lodge in Trenton voted in favour of a new collective agreement. The three-year contract secures monetary increases and important new workload language for the approximately 62 full and part-time workers who form the bargaining unit.

• New health and safety language regarding workload allows the joint health and safety committee to investigate, define a problem and make recommendations to the company.

• Wages increase by 2.5 per cent on August 1 of each year of the contract term.

• Registered Nurses (RNs) receive an additional wage adjustment of $1 per hour.

• A new weekend premium, for hours worked between Friday at 11 p.m. and Sunday at 11 p.m., provides 10 cents per hour effective August 1, 2007, 15 cents per hour in the second year and 20 cents per hour as of August 1, 2009.

• The ‘in charge’ premium, for four or more hours of work, for Registered Practical Nurses (RPNs) increases to 50 cents per hour.

• Part-time receive one sick day per year and bereavement leave increases to five days, up from three, for the death of a step-parent or step-child.

• New vacation language entitles full-time workers with 30 years of service or more to seven weeks vacation at 14 per cent pay. Part-time members with 6,000 or more shifts as of August 2008 also receive seven weeks vacation at 14 per cent pay.

• The uniform allowance increases to $13 per month, up from $12, for full-time and to $6.50 per month, up from $6, for part-time.

Union Negotiating Committee: Angela Quinn, Sandra Radway, Betty Read and Union Rep Marilyn Lang.