Niagara Falls, Ont. (230 taxi drivers) and Teamsters Canada, Local 879
Renewal agreement: Effective April 28, 2019 to April 27, 2023. Signed on May 2, 2019.
Shift premium: $26.22 per hour for union stewards for time spent dealing with issues/complaints, step 1 and step 2 grievance meetings (maximum 3 hours, maximum 1 steward). Any tip over and above base amount of fare is paid to employee 100% (gift certificates are treated as cash).
Paid holidays: 9 days
Vacations with pay: 2 weeks after 1 year, 4 weeks after 5 years.
Seniority – recall rights: Taxi drivers promoted to supervisory positions will retain seniority for 1 month after promotion. 6 months for failing to rent available vehicle. 6 months or length of time equal to employee’s seniority, for being without valid work permit, without valid provincial driver’s license or appropriate municipal taxi driver’s license.
Bereavement leave: 3 days (after 6 months of seniority) including day of funeral for funeral of spouse, parent, sibling, stepparent, parent-in-law.
Probationary period: 90 days
Discipline: Sunset clause is 12 months; 24 months for sexual harassment, sexual assault, theft, taxi voucher fraud, or refusal of guide animal.
Uniforms/clothing: Taxi drivers are required to be neatly dressed and well-groomed. T-shirts displaying objectionable or vulgar remarks, tank tops, and muscle shirts are prohibited.
Tool allowance: Each driver will be supplied for daily 12-hour period roadworthy safe 4-door vehicle with proper weather-resistant tires for all seasons and seating capacity for not less than 4 passengers in compliance with applicable municipal by-laws and containing: illuminated roof sign clearly stating company’s name; tablet or ‘hard meter’; electric rear window defroster; company business/receipt cards; heater; air conditioning; working point-of-sale terminal; copy of ownership and insurance in each car.
Sample rates of weekly pay (current, after increase):
Non-accessible vehicle rentals
$620 for gas vehicles, rising in year 3 to $640
$630 for hybrid vehicles, rising to $665 by year 4
Accessible taxi rentals
$500 rising to $550 in year 3
$185 weekly dispatch fee, rising to $190 in year 3
Sample rates of daily pay (current, after increase):
$135 Monday to Wednesday, rising annually to $150 by year 4
$155 Thursday to Saturday
$100 Sundays
$850 monthly plate rental, rising to $860 in year 3
Editor’s notes: Dispatch: Employer to supply, maintain, operate computerized dispatch system to ensure all calls are dispatched in fair and equitable manner. Daily rental period for taxis is 12 consecutive hours with changeover at 4:30. Dispatch errors: $10 (provided driver is unable to get another dispatched fare within 30 minutes of original no-load) when company employee (call taker, dispatcher) makes mistake by dispatching driver to wrong residential address and driver goes to address and is unable to get customer. Mechanical failure: Employer will bear cost of hotel room when taxi driver must stay overnight due to mechanical failure. Taxi package: Employee will be provided with illuminated roof sign clearly stating employer’s name; tablet or hard meter connected to tablet; electric rear-window defroster; employer’s business/receipt cards; heater; air conditioning; working POS terminal; copy of ownership, insurance in each car.
