First contract at Vesuvius Canada; BCGEU members ratify new LifeLabs deal
MEC workers achieve new contract
VANCOUVER – United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 1518 members at Mountain Equipment Company (MEC) locations in Vancouver and Victoria ratified a new collective agreement on Nov. 8 with an 98-per-cent approval that will raise wages, introduce new classifications and wage scales while guaranteeing more full-time positions.
Members of the bargaining committee secured wage increases of eight per cent and nine per cent for clerks, improved wale scale and classifications for bike mechanic, visual merchandiser, inventory specialist and daily stock specialist. The new contract also guarantees full-time employment, says UFCW.
First contract at Vesuvius Canada
WELLAND, Ont. — Workers at Vesuvius Canada in Welland, Ont. — who had been on strike since Nov. 1 — secured their first contract as 90 per cent of the members of Teamsters, Local 879 ratified the agreement on Nov. 7.
Highlights of the contract include a $2-per-hour wage increase, a second-year bonus and the elimination of mandatory overtime, says the union.
“These workers went on strike because the employer’s offers were clearly inadequate,” says François Laporte, Teamsters Canada president. “They stood together and finally obtained a collective agreement that met their expectations.”
After a week on the picket line, a tentative deal was reached on Nov. 5, says Teamsters.
BCGEU members ratify new LifeLabs deal
BURNABY, B.C. — A majority of the 1,550 LifeLabs workers — represented by the B.C. General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) — voted on Nov. 4 in favour of ratifying their collective agreement with their employer after reaching a tentative agreement on Oct. 24.
The new three-year agreement is effective April 1, and it runs until March 31, 2024.
“After so many months of hard work in negotiations we are pleased to see members ratify a deal that values and respects their expertise, their contributions during the pandemic and their goal to better serve the public,” says Stephanie Smith, BCGEU president.
Highlights from the agreement include wage improvements averaging increases of 12 per cent over three years which also includes a $1,250 signing bonus for all active employees to be paid out within 30 days of ratification, says BCGEU.
The employees also received an improved indexed pension plan, increases to extended health coverage, improvements to sick-leave entitlement and health and safety policies as well as stronger workload language to deal with under-staffing issues, says the union.
The collective agreement covers members at 94 LifeLabs locations across B.C. working as couriers, phlebotomists, technical assistants, technologist and information specialists.
Agreement reached at Sandy Bay First Nation
MARIUS, Man. — Members of the Sandy Bay Ojibway First Nation in Marius, Man., who are represented by the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union (MGEU), Local 354 ratified a new collective agreement on Oct. 28.
Highlights of the new deal include a wage increase (with an ability to discuss future wage increases based on incoming funding) and new agreement articles covering term employees and layoff and recall policies, says the union.
