Canadian Labour Reporter

Atlantic Gold employees join USW MOOSE RIVER, N.S. — Em- ployees of the Atlantic Gold mining operations in Moose River, N.S., voted to join the United Steelworkers (USW) union on April 22. After a majority of employ- ees signed union cards in or- der to join the union, an ap- plication to certify was filed with the Nova Scotia Labour Board. The labour board or- dered a vote by employees and a large majority of work- ers voted in favour of joining the union, says USW. The Atlantic Gold work- ers decided to join the USW in order to address issues and concerns including health and safety, working condi- tions and unfulfilled promises regarding wages and promo- tions, says the union. "The workers are well- aware that they are generat- ing healthy profits for their employer, yet their wages and working conditions are sig- nificantly inferior than the standards in the mining sec- tor, not only in Atlantic Can- ada, but also at the St Barbara Limited gold-mining opera- tions in Australia," says Marty Warren, USW director for At- lantic Canada and Ontario. Next steps for the workers will include electing a bar- gaining committee and ne- gotiating their first collective agreement with the employer, says USW. The 164 new members of the USW include muck-truck operators, heavy equipment operators, graders and mill workers at Atlantic Gold, which operates an open pit mine as well as milling and other processes at the site, about 100 kilometres east of Halifax. The site is operated by a subsidiary of an Austra- lian gold mining company, St Barbara, says the union. First collective agreement at Stelia Mirabel MONTREAL — New mem- bers of the Stelia Aerospace Canada unit (Local 712) at Mirabel airport in Montreal ratified their first collective agreement on April 24. "The major challenge of this negotiation was to im- prove and ensure the upkeep of working conditions as employers generally seek to reduce working conditions since the beginning of the pandemic," says Éric Ran- court, business representa- tive at district 11, responsible for the Stelia Mirabel unit of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). Pepsi workers ratify 5-year contract SUDBURY, Ont. — Mem- bers at Pepsi bottling com- pany in Sudbury, Ont. rati- fied a new five-year collective agreement on April 19 that included wage increases in each year of the contract. In year one, United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW), Local 175 mem- bers receive a $0.10-per-hour increase, in addition to $230 lump sum payment. In year two, members will receive $0.50 per hour, year three $0.55 per hour, year four $0.60 per hour and year five $0.60 per hour, accounting for a $2.35 hourly increase over the life of the contract, says the union. The afternoon shift premi- um will see increases of $1.30 per hour in year two and $1.35 per hour in year four, in addi- tion to increases to the train- ing and education fund at $650 per year, says UFCW. The new contract also sees the LTD premium 100 per cent funded by the employer for the core 35 per cent, a significant achievement for these work- ers. Members will also be able to bank more time with this collective agreement, up to 160 hours, 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

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