No concessions made during talks: UFCW
Employees at the Military Family Resource Centre (MRFC) in London, Ont. ratified a new contract on Sept. 5.
During this round of bargaining, the parties requested the assistance of a conciliation officer from the Ministry of Labour, says the United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) Canada, Locals 175 and 633.
At the start of negotiations, the employer was unwilling to provide substantial monetary increases to its bargaining unit employees. Through conciliation though, the union negotiating committee achieved an agreement with no concessions for employees at MRFC, says UFCW.
The ratified agreement provides workers with wage increases in each of the three years covered by the contract. The first increase of one per cent will be paid retroactively for hours worked since March 31. Members will receive a raise of 0.5 per cent in year two and 1.5 per cent in year three, says the union.
Improved language in the agreement provides better bereavement provisions that increases the qualifier to a larger scale, amended hours of work to provide more flexibility for members to adjust their schedules, enhanced grievance procedure for members to address issues with management and new provisions to allows stewards time to meet new members and introduce them to the union and their collective agreement, says UFCW.
