Belleville, Ont. (562 cheese factory workers) and the Black Diamond Cheese Employees Independent Union, Local 555 (affiliated with Unifor)
Renewal agreement: Effective March 1, 2019 to Feb. 28, 2022. Ratified in March 2019. Signed on April 5, 2019.
Wage adjustments:
Effective Feb. 24, 2019: 2%
Effective March 1, 2020: 2%
Effective March 1, 2021: 2%
Shift premium: $0.84 per hour (previously $0.79 per hour) for afternoon shift, rising to $0.89 on Feb. 28, 2021. $1.14 per hour (previously $1.04 per hour) for midnight shift, rising to $1.24 on Feb. 28, 2021.
Paid holidays: 10 days, plus Christmas Eve day, New Year’s Eve day.
Vacations with pay: 1 day per month of continuous service up to 10 days to start, 2 weeks after 1 year, 3 weeks after 5 years, 4 weeks after 11 years, 5 weeks after 17 years, 6 weeks after 25 years. 1 week can be carried over into next year (for employees entitled to more than 2 weeks per year).
Overtime: Time and one-half for all work in excess of normal hours in 1 day or shift and on Saturday, Sunday, paid holiday. Double time for all overtime hours in excess of 4 Monday to Friday, Sunday, paid holidays.
Medical benefits: Employer pays 100% of premiums for extended health care plan.
Dental: Employer pays 100% of premiums. Coverage of 50% co-insurance for major restorative; 50% co-insurance (child only) for orthodontic benefit. Maximum $2,700 combined maximum for basic, major restorative per year for each covered person. Lifetime maximum $1,600 for each covered child.
Vision: $300 every 24 consecutive months. Eye exam once every 2 years, maximum of $100.
Weekly indemnity: Employer pays 100% of premiums for coverage of 66%, maximum of $850 per week.
LTD: Employer pays 100% of premiums. Coverage of 60% of basic monthly earnings less CPP disability off-set, maximum insurance payment of $3,000 per month.
AD&D: Employer pays 100% of premiums for coverage of $15,000.
Life insurance: Employer pays 100% of premiums for coverage of 2 times annual earnings.
Pension: Employer pays 100% of premiums. Employer will match any employee voluntary contributions of $39 per week, rising to $41 per week on March 2, 2021.
Bereavement leave: 5 paid working days for death of spouse, child, parent, legal guardian, sibling. 3 paid working days for death of grandparent, grandchild, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, grandparent-in-law. 1 paid working day for death of aunt or uncle of employee or employee’s spouse. 1 additional day is given when employee is required to travel 300 kilometres or more, 1-way, from employee’s home.
Seniority – recall rights: 15 months for layoffs; 24 months for absences due to sickness or accident, where absence is supported by acceptable medical evidence.
Call-in pay: Time and one-half (minimum 4 hours) if called in after leaving work.
Probationary period: 90 days of work in any 15 consecutive month period.
Severance: If plant closes, permanent full-time employees with at least 5 years’ service who have been laid off for 15 months (13 weeks if they have waived right to recall) will receive $2,500 for each completed year of employment.
Safety shoes: $300 for employer-approved CSA-approved safety boots or shoes each contract year (allowance may be used for insoles).
Tool allowance: $225 per year, rising to $250 on March 1, 2021.
Sample rates of hourly pay (current, after 2% increase):
Bags and cardboard/checking/naturals loader packer/process loader packer, store attendant: $25.14 rising 1 step to $25.64
Die maintenance/line-26 line attendant/line-12 labeller/naturals cheese handler: $25.34 rising 1 step to $25.85
BAADER operator/checking attendant/cheese cutter, slicer operator/grinder attendant/packaging attendant/packing-area attendant/line 13 14 packing machine operator/line-26 cutter shredder/process wrapper operator/raw material handler/sanitation attendant/warehouse: $25.63 rising 1 step to $26.14
Blend prep operator/lab technician/line-12 spread operator/line-25 food service slice-line operator/line-26 shred operator/line-27 retail slice operator/line-28 portions operator/line-29 stick-line operator/sanitation production line: $26.83 rising 1 step to $27.37
Line 11 SOS operator/line 13 14 IWS operator/line 21 22 retail bar operator/line 23 MULITVAC operator/line-24 flow-wrap operator: $27.08 rising 1 step to $27.62
Mechanical technologist/electrical technologist: $35.12 rising 1 step to $35.83
Apprentices:
First 12 months (from program acceptance with Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities to first day of education): 75% of trade rate
End of first year (upon completion of first-year education): 80% of rate
End of second year (upon completion of second-year education): 85% of rate
End of third year (upon completion of third-year education): 90% of rate
Upon trade certification: maintenance rate
Editor’s notes: Unifor paid education leave: Employer will pay $5,000 per year into special fund for Unifor paid education leave program (payment will be remitted each year on March 1).
