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Canadian HR Reporter, a Thomson Reuters business 2019
Rossdown
Farms workers
sign fi rst
agreement
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — United
Food and Commercial Workers
union (UFCW) Canada, Local
1518 members working at Ross-
down Farms and Natural Foods
in Abbotsford, B.C., achieved
their first contract on Feb. 2.
Rossdown Farms and Natural
Foods is a farm-to-plate produc-
er of certified organic poultry.
Under the new two-year col-
lective agreement, the 200 poul-
try-sector workers will see im-
provements to their workplace
such as shop-steward rights, a
grievance procedure and a job
posting process, said the union.
As well, workers will receive
new health and safety provi-
sions, a $2-per-hour pay raise for
some and a fourth week of vaca-
tion for workers with 10 years of
seniority, said UFCW.
"There's no doubt that the
members needed a union. The
employer was playing favourites;
there was no fairness in schedul-
ing or pay raises. And the work-
ers were suffering," said Patrick
Johnson, secretary-treasurer of
UFCW 1518.
UFCW Canada, Local 1518
represents more than 20,000
members working in a range
of industries across B.C. and
Yukon, including retail-food,
community-health, agriculture
and professional-service sec-
tors.
Algonquin
Nursing Home
employees
join ONA
MATTAWA, NIPISSING-
TEMISKAMING, Ont. — The
Ontario Nurses' Association
(ONA) welcomed new members
from the Algonquin Nursing
Home on Feb. 5.
The Algonquin Nursing
Home registered nurses (RN)
are concerned about the staffing
levels they believe are necessary
to be able to provide care, said
the union.
"This dedicated group of
RNs is passionate about provid-
ing the best care possible to the
residents of the home. We look
forward to representing them so
that they can focus on provid-
ing high-quality care," said Vicki
McKenna, ONA president.
London, Ont.,
Coca-Cola
workers agree
to contract
LONDON, Ont. — United
Food and Commercial Workers
union (UFCW) Canada, Local
175 members working at the
Coca-Cola Bottling Company
in London, Ont., achieved a new
collective agreement on Feb. 5
that includes wage gains and a
new pension plan.
Under the three-year con-
tract, the employees will receive
a lump-sum payment of $800 in
the first year of the agreement,
as well as wage increases of two
per cent and 2.5 per cent in years
two and three, respectively, said
the union.
Drivers who require a driver's
medical exam will receive a re-
imbursement of $100 from the
company in the second and third
year of the contract term. And
members will also benefit from
an enhanced payout of 125 per
cent for any unused sick days,
said UFCW.
In addition, the workers will
now take part in an employer
pension plan that will see the
company contribute five per
cent of an employee's annual
earnings, with members con-
tributing two per cent of their
earnings. As well, the new agree-
ment contains enhanced sev-
erance language for all union
members, said the union.
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Souissi
Tunisian teachers take part in a protest to demand better work conditions and higher wages, near the
prime minister's of ce in Tunis, on Feb. 6.
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