News Briefs

Rail Employees Taking Strike Vote

Financial issues central to bargaining

The strike votes of 6,500 employees of CN Rail and CP Rail represented by the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) were being counted as CLV Reports went to press. The CAW’s issue with the two employers seems to be largely financial. The most recent report to membership on the progress of negotiations concentrates on how productivity and profitability at the railways have increased. The union’s demands are for “significant” wage increases and greater security for future retirees. The second demand involves both pension improvements and higher retiree benefits through the Health Spending Account.

Quebec Manufacturing Contract Settled

Defined-benefit pension plan retained

A “strong majority” of the 180 employees of Norcast, a producer of mining equipment in Mont-Joli, Quebec, voted to accept a new contract on January 5. Wages will increase by 11.15 per cent over five years and pensions will improve by $5.00 per month per year of service. According to United Steelworkers (USW) representative Nicolas Lapierre, the total represents an increase of $6.00 per hour. He declared himself “very satisfied with this round of negotiations. We have been able to improve our defined-benefit pension plan while almost everywhere else employers are trying to cut them off.” Early retirement with an unreduced pension will also be available at age 60.

Manitoba Public Servants Have Deal

Wages frozen for two years of four-year deal

A ratification vote will be held between January 17 and 20 for 14,000 members of the Manitoba Government and General Employees’ Union employed by the Province of Manitoba. There is no GWI in the first two years; wages will increase by 2.75 per cent in each of the final two. In addition, 1.0 per cent has been allocated for wage adjustments in the third year and a new top step 2.0 per cent higher for employees with 20 years of service has been added to the wage grid, also in the third year. Finally, a number of benefits, expense reimbursement rates and premiums will also be increased.

Casino Workers Go to Table

Parties hope climate improved

Negotiations for a new agreement between Caesars Windsor casino and the Canadian Auto Workers began on January 5. The casino has faced a number of challenges recently: the economy, the value of the Canadian dollar and American competition. Labour relations has also been less than ideal, with three strikes since 1995. However, a new director of HR at the casino and considerable new blood among local representatives has both sides hoping the relationship can be improved. The union’s issues include a wage increase, more full-time hours and fewer job classifications to allow easier bumping. The current collective agreement will expiry on April 3.

Newfoundland Bakery Strike Over

Signature products to be available soon

The four-month lock-out at Purity Factories in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador ended on January 7 when the 50 employees, members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Assn. of Public and Private Employees (NAPE) voted to accept a new collective agreement. It provides a $3.00 wage increase over five years; no other details are available. Purity is a bakery and confectionery that produces several distinctive Newfoundland products.

Employment Shows Promising Signs

Rate is unchanged but quality of jobs is better

In December 2010, 38,000 full-time jobs were created, easily surpassing the 16,100 part-time positions that disappeared for a net of 22,000 more employed Canadians, according to Statistics Canada.

Overall, participation in the labour force was unchanged, but this varied greatly by age and sex. Participation among youth rebounded by 37,800 or 0.8 per cent over the month, while still leaving it down by 23,000 or 0o.7 per cent from last year. Among adult women, participation fell by 19,200 or 0.2 per cent from November. Participation by men was virtually unchanged.

Employment in goods-producing industries was up by 40,800 or 1.1 per cent, led by manufacturing with a strong 65,700 jobs or 3.8 per cent. Resource industries were also up, by 7,700 or 2.3 per cent, while construction was down 27,100 or 2.1 per cent.

In the service sector, employment was down by 18,800 or 0.1 per cent. Health care and social assistance led the declines with a loss of 23,900 or 1.1 per cent, followed by trade with 22,400 or 0.8 per cent. The bright spot was transportation and warehousing with growth of 44,500 or 5.4 per cent.

The private sector created 52,500 jobs in December and the public sector 7,400; there were 38,000 fewer self-employed.

The average weekly hours in December was 34.9, unchanged from last year, and the average hourly wage was $22.88, up from $22.35.

U.S. employment shows strength

The unemployment rate in the United States fell by 0.4 of a percentage point to 9.4 per cent in December, on the strength of 297,000 new jobs. Unlike in Canada, the participation rate continued to decline. Long-term unemployment (over 27 weeks) remains stubbornly high.

The average weekly hours for the private sector was 34.3, up from 33.8 last year, and the average hourly age was $22.78, up from $22.38.