Montreal longshore workers strike; Kingston, Ont. school bus drivers sign contract
Quebec steelworkers agree to tentative deal
SEPT-ÎLES, Que. – The negotiating committee representing 2,500 members of the United Steelworkers (USW) in Port-Cartier, Fermont and Fire Lake in Quebec reached a tentative agreement on a new collective agreement April 12 with ArcelorMittal Mines Canada.
Less than a week after contract negotiations suddenly broke off, bargaining resumed in the presence of mediator Jean Nolin and a tentative deal was reached. The agreement will be submitted to a ratification vote by union members in coming weeks, says USW.
No details of the tentative agreement will be released until terms of the agreement are presented to the membership, says the union.
Montreal longshore workers strike
MONTREAL — The Syndicat des débardeurs du port de Montreal (Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Local 375) issued a notice of a partial strike on April 10 in response to a notice from the employer that announced they would be suspending the job security provisions in the collective agreement effective April 13.
“Last Friday following a good week of negotiations where the work was going well, we were surprised to receive a notice from the employer, informing us that in 72 hours, they would be exercising their lockout rights,” says Michel Murray, CUPE national representative.
In response to this notice, the union responded with a notice of a partial strike on April 10. Longshore workers will not be working overtime and will not extend their shifts beyond the regular eight hours. In addition, workers will begin striking on Saturdays and Sundays indefinitely, says the union.
Day, evening and night shifts from Monday to Friday will be worked normally.
“This way, we are putting pressure on the employer without disrupting clients who are awaiting their goods. We still believe in negotiations and are eager to return to the table,” says Murray.
Kingston, Ont. school bus drivers sign contract
KINGSTON, Ont. — School bus drivers in Kingston, Ont. ratified a new collective agreement on April 8 in the midst of a pandemic that recognizes their services with wage increases each year and emergency leave days.
“These members are truly among the heroes of the pandemic. Every day they safely transport students back and forth to school, and ensure that the buses are sanitized and safe for the children on the bus,” says Jerry Dias, Unifor national president.
The new four-year contract was ratified by the 52 members of Local 4266 at First Student Kingston and was ratified by 98 per cent, says the union.
The agreement includes wage increases of two per cent, two per cent, three per cent, three per cent, as well as many improvements to language and newly negotiated personal emergency days, says Unifor.
Each employee will get five leave days, three of them paid, that can be used for personal emergencies including family health obligations and sickness, says the union.
Lady Comeau ship workers ratify agreement
SAULNIERVILLE, N.S. — United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), Local 864 members at Comeau Seafoods deployed in Shelburne, N.S. aboard Lady Comeau III vessel voted to accept a new union contract on April 12.
The new contract guarantees 100 per cent of earnings in the form of salary or wages, in addition to commitments that the company pay for all operating expenses including fuel, food, gear and clothing, says the union.
