Provincewide, British Columbia (40 masters, chief engineers, mates, second engineers) and the Canadian Merchant Service Guild (CMSG)
Renewal agreement: Effective Oct. 1, 2019 to April 30, 2025. Signed on Aug. 31, 2020.
Wage adjustments:
Effective Oct. 1, 2019 to April 30, 2020: 0%
Effective May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021: 2.2%
Effective May 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022: 2.2%
Effective May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023: 2.2%
Effective May 1, 2023 to April 30, 2024: 2.2%
Effective May 1, 2024 to April 30, 2025: 2.2%
Shift premium: 7% for all work performed on afternoon and graveyard shifts.
Paid holidays: 12 days.
Vacations with pay: 14 days or 4% after 1 year, 21 days or 6% after 2 years, 28 days or 8% after 7 years, 35 days or 10% after 15 years, 42 days or 12% after 22 years, additional 2% each year after 30 years. Employee terminated or laid-off for lack of work will be entitled to request payment of any vacation pay due him at time of layoff.
Overtime: Double time for time worked in excess of regular hours. May be taken as time off in lieu.
Meal allowance: $17.19 (previously $16.46) rising 3 steps to $18.36 for employee who works 2 hours or more beyond regular shift.
Medical benefits: Employer will pay $826 per month to union for each eligible employee in lieu of providing health benefit plan including (but not limited to) life insurance, AD&D, weekly indemnity, extended health care, LTD, dental coverage. Employer will pay 100% of premiums of BC Medical Services Plan.
LTD: Employees pays 100% of premiums (any rate increases more than 2% during term of agreement will be borne by employer).
Pension: Employer will contribute 8.5% per monthly to pension plan that will be portable within guild towboat plan and guild membership. Officers will contribute 7.5% per month into plan. Employer will provide monthly contribution of 1%) of each employee’s basic monthly rate to subsidize post-retirement benefits (subject to employee holding membership in plan for 2 consecutive years preceding retirement).
Bereavement leave: 4 days for death in immediate family (spouse or common-law partner; father and mother; spouse or common-law partner of father or mother; children and children of spouse or common-law partner; grandchildren; brothers or sisters; grandfather and grandmother of employee; father and mother of spouse or common-law partner of employee and spouse or common-law partner of father or mother; any relative of employee who resides with employee).
Seniority – recall rights: 12 months after layoffs.
Probationary period: 6 months of employment with 1-year period.
Severance: 1 week’s pay for each year of service (to last day worked) with employer.
Safety shoes: $200 per year (previously $150 per year) for safety shoes or caulk boots. Allowance will increase $5 per year.
Uniforms/clothing: Employer will provide any protective clothing or equipment required. Employer will provide quality ear protectors without cost to employees. Upon request by employees, company will supply: proper work gloves suitable to work to be performed; rain jackets and pants, maximum $150 per year; 2 pairs of good quality coveralls. Employer will provide each employee 1 high visibility D.O.T. approved floater coat (employee who requests in lieu anti-exposure coveralls, will have first $135 paid for by employer).
Sample rates of daily pay (current):
Group
Masters
5: $276.33
6: $285.37
9: $312.75
Chief engineers
5: $267.28
6: $276.33
9: $303.71
Mates and second engineers
5: $235.97
6: $241.07
9: $258.02
Log barging: $28.62 rising 3 steps to $30.55
Employees will receive $350 signing bonus upon ratification
Editor’s notes: Legal defence fund: Legal defence coverage for employees covered by agreement will be provided by union and paid for by employer at rate of $31 per month for each employee in its employ. Marine disaster: Any employee who suffers loss of personal effects, clothing, navigational equipment and tools related to operation of tug through wreck or marine disaster or while in transit provided or paid for by employer to or from home port, will be compensated by payment of maximum $2,000. Out-of-town: Employee who lives out-of-town, works by on overhaul or repairs, will be provided with accommodation and meals. When meals are not provided, subsistence rate of $50 per day (previously $43 per day) will be paid on basis of $12.50 for breakfast: $12.50 for lunch; $25 for dinner (previously $18 for dinner).
