John Howard Society workers join CUPE; Packaging employees back on job after strike
Paper workers reverse rollbacks in new deal
THE PAS, Man — Members of Unifor, Local 1403 at Canadian Kraft Paper in The Pas, Man. ratified a new three-year collective agreement on July 28 that will reverse wage rollbacks agreed to in 2016 as part of a temporary arrangement to save the mill.
“Unifor members played a pivotal role in the strategy to keep good jobs in The Pas,” says Jerry Dias, Unifor national president. “It was important that the new contract reflect our members’ role in the sustainability of this facility.”
Highlights of the new agreement include a wage increase of 16 per cent over the term of the contract, skilled trades bonuses, and benefits improvements, says Unifor.
John Howard Society workers join CUPE
OSHAWA, Ont. — Employees at the John Howard Society of Durham Region in Oshawa, Ont. voted to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) on July 23.
“We’re thrilled to welcome such a strong group of new members, who want to work together to improve their workplace and contribute to the future of the John Howard Society and its progressive goals,” says Kristy Davidson, a CUPE representative who helped organize the workplace.
The John Howard Society is a charitable organization committed to reducing the impact of crime and its causes by providing a spectrum of prevention and intervention programs, says the union.
Packaging employees back on job after strike
TORONTO — Bottle-packaging workers at Rexplas in Toronto are back on the job as of July 22 after nine weeks on the picket line.
The United Steelworkers (USW), Local 8300 members won a fair agreement and a retroactive wage increase, says the union.
After working through the pandemic, the workers rejected the company’s original contract offer that opened with a wage freeze. Many of the workers make just above minimum wage and commute long hours on public transit to get to work, says USW.
The 35 members of USW Local 8300 — a group that is predominantly racialized women — do quality control, packaging and shipping. Some have worked for the company for as long as 35 years.
They took a stand against the contract offer and began their strike on April 26, says the union.
The new deal includes wage increases of five per cent over four years, including a retroactive wage increase dating back to 2019 before the pandemic. The workers also won a signing bonus, says USW.
Brampton Brick workers get new deal
BRAMPTON, Ont. — Employees of Brampton Brick in Brampton, Ont. voted 96 percent in favour of renewing their collective agreement on July 16 providing them with wage increases and other improvements.
The new three-year contract includes guaranteed annual two per cent wage increases over the term. Other improvements include increases to health and welfare benefits, pension, personal safety equipment, and bereavement leave. Another improvement in the agreement is daily overtime, says CLAC.
The employees are represented by Construction Workers Union, CLAC Local 52. The local has represented Brampton Brick employees since 1968.
