Clean Harbors workers ratify agreement; New deal for Quebec municipal staff
Cargill workers avoid strike
HIGH RIVER, Alta. – United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 401 members at Cargill in High River, Alta. voted in favour of a new collective agreement on Dec. 7 that makes significant gains while avoiding a strike at one of country’s largest beef processing facilities.
“With chaos swirling about, it often felt like members were being treated like lightbulbs: you burn out and the forces of greed and power simply screw in another bulb,” says Thomas Hesse, UFCW, Local 401 president. “But our members have demonstrated that the vulnerability of the individual is overcome by the strength of the many and by this victory we can see there is hope.”
The new contract brings health and safety improvements to a facility that has been at the epicenter of COVID-19 outbreaks in Alberta. The new contract also secures wage and benefit increases, sick-leave provisions and enhanced grievance protocols, says UFCE.
Clean Harbors workers ratify agreement
SARNIA, Ont. — Unifor, Local 914 members voted 97 per cent in favour of a new four-year collective agreement on Dec. 6, ending a two-week strike at the Clean Harbors waste treatment facility in Sarnia, Ont.
The workers went on strike Nov. 22, over concerns about gender equality, wages, and health and safety, says Unifor.
The new agreement includes a 10-per-cent increase over the life of the agreement, along with improved benefits, and stronger language for modified work, accommodation and training, says the union.
New deal for Quebec municipal staff
BEAUCE-SARTIGAN, Que. — Beauce-Sartigan Regional County Municipality and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 3590 ratified a new five-year collective agreement on Dec. 7, which covers 35 employees.
The union voted 91 per cent in favour of the tentative agreement presented in November, says the union.
The contract calls for total wage increases of 13 per cent, significant improvements to work schedules, the introduction of clauses on teleworking and several other enhancements, says CUPE.
“Negotiations were respectful and cordial. We believe these wage hikes will preserve the purchasing power of the membership in spite of the sharp increase in the Consumer Price Index,” says Mario Jean, CUPE union representative.
The Beauce-Sartigan region is located in the south end of the Chaudière-Appalaches region. The union represents administrative assistants, appraisers, civil engineers, development officers and planners.
Ecojustice employees agree to contract
TORONTO — International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Local 1922 members employed by Ecojustice in Toronto ratified a new agreement on Dec. 2.
The three-year agreement now includes the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as a paid holiday and introduces language to provide paid domestic violence leave and improvements to pregnancy and parental leave as well as general wage increases in each year of the agreement, says IAM.
“This collective agreement includes several language changes which support a more equitable, diverse and inclusive workplace for our members,” says Kim Valliere, directing business representative.
Ecojustice is an environmental law charity and is represented by the IAM at its Toronto office. Members include staff scientists, office and communications managers, paralegals, communications and grant writer, says the union.
