Canadian Labour Reporter

New deal for Ontario Food Basics workers TORONTO — Ontario Food Basics workers voted 88 per cent to ratify a new collective agreement on Oct. 7 that pro- tects and grows full-time jobs, secures wage and benefit in- creases and extends the health benefit plan for part-time workers. "There was a lot at stake, as these were the first negotia- tions between Unifor and Food Basics parent company Metro since the pandemic started," says national president Jerry Dias. "The bargaining commit- tee secured an agreement that moves forward on key union priorities, including secur- ing and adding more full-time jobs." The new four-year collective agreement covers more than 1,400 employees at 20 Food Ba- sics stores across Ontario, says the union. The new collective agree- ment includes wage increases for full- and part-time workers — with full back pay — and also the elimination of part-time wage tiers, the extension of a health benefit plan for part- time workers and improved optical plan for full-time and part-time plan members, says Unifor. Historic first contract for university dons TORONTO — University of Toronto residence dons achieved a historic collective agreement on Oct. 12, which is the first of its kind at the uni- versity. "The collective agreement brings fairness, equity and a real voice in the workplace that were long overdue for a unique group of workers," says Col- leen Burke, president of the United Steelworkers (USW), Local 1998, which represents the residence dons as well as thousands of other University of Toronto employees. The residence dons act as a resource for students in uni- versity residences and are responsible for community development, social and edu- cational programming, crisis intervention, referrals, policy enforcement and residents' overall well-being. The dons are also university students who live in the same residences as the students they serve. The three-year agreement — which runs until the end of 2024 — covers dozens of dons at four University of Toronto Colleges: Innis, New College, University College and Wood- sworth, says the union. The dons voted to join the The most reliable source of news and insights for Canada's labour professionals www.hrreporter.com/labour/news USW in 2020, and then per- severed through a challenging bargaining process that was prolonged and complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, says Burke. Simon Fraser students ratify deal BURNABY, B.C. — The Simon Fraser Student Society and the Canadian Union of Public Em- ployees (CUPE) ratified a new five-year collective agreement on Oct. 7 for staff at the student society. The new agreement elimi- nates a two-tier wage structure and will ensure every CUPE member at the society will be guaranteed a living wage by 2023, says CUPE. "Two-tier wages have no place in the workplace. I want to congratulate our members and thank the student society for working with us in addressing this inequity," says Fiona Brady Lenfesty, president of CUPE, Local 3338. "This agreement is a prime example of what col- laborative bargaining can yield: concrete improvements for workers." The collective agreement was reached after a year of ne- gotiations. It includes a two- per-cent wage increase in each year of the agreement and im- proved access to benefits for all workers, says the union. FORMERLY CLV REPORTS Serving labour relations professionals since 1956 www.hrreporter.com/labour Subscription rate: $599 per year Customer Service subscriptions@kmimedia.ca President Tim Duce Editor/Supervisor Sarah Dobson | (416) 644-8740 Ext. 330 sarah.dobson@keymedia.com News Editor John Dujay | (416) 644-8740 Ext. 321 john.dujay@keymedia.com Employment Law Editor Jeffrey R. Smith | (416) 644 8740 Ext. 319 jeffrey.r.smith@keymedia.com Business Development Manager Fred Crossley | (416) 644-8740 Ext. 236 fred.crossley@keymedia.com NAUK Subscriptions Coordinator Donnabel Reyes | (416) 644-8740 Ext. 243 donnabel.reyes@keymedia.com ©Key Media Canada (HR) Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the written permission of the publisher (Key Media Canada (HR) Ltd.). KEY MEDIA and the KEY MEDIA logo are trademarks of Key Media IP Limited, and used under license by Key Media Canada (HR) Ltd.. CANADIAN LABOUR REPORTER is a trademark of Key Media Canada (HR) Ltd.. e publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice. If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. e analysis contained herein represents the opinion of the authors and should in no way be construed as being either official or unofficial policy of any governmental body. ISSN 0045-5113 Publications Registration 2089 Canadian Labour Reporter is part of the Canadian HR Reporter group of publications. Visit www.hrreporter. com for more information. 2 LABOUR BRIEFS Canadian HR Reporter, a Key Media Canada (HR) Ltd. business 2021

• Cover