Wages hiked, boot allowance boosted: UFCW
United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW), Local 1400 members working at Richardson Milling in Martensville, Sask., voted in favour of a new collective agreement on June 6.
Richardson is one of the country’s largest producers and distributors of Canadian grains and oilseeds to markets around the world. The Martensville location is home to one of Canada’s largest oat mills and production facilities, said the union.
“Together, we were successful in defeating many employer-proposed concessions, including deleting sick time, extending the waiting period for short-term disability benefits, deleting the overtime bank, significant reductions to bereavement, benefits and pressing necessity leave. At the end of bargaining, members were able to maintain all of their benefits without any concessions,” said Norm Neault, UFCW, Local 1400 president.
The new agreement contains wage increases of 2.75 per cent in years one, three, and five of the contract, and 2.5 per cent in years two and four. As well, members will receive improvements to the boot allowance and the seniority clause has been expanded, said the union.
UFCW Canada Local 1400 represents more than 6,000 workers in Saskatchewan.