Strike averted
at Vancouver
airport with
agreement
VANCOUVER — A strike has
been averted at Vancouver In-
ternational Airport after a new
collective agreement has been
reached between the Interna-
tional Association of Machinists
and Aerospace Workers (IAM)
and Swissport Canada.
"We came to an agreement
with the employer late Saturday
evening with the exception of
the baggage service operations
wages which will proceed to
binding arbitration," said Todd
Haverstock, IAM transporta-
tion district lodge 140 general
chairperson.
The three-year agreement
provides: wage parity for Swis-
sport ramp employees, an
enhanced wage scale for air-
craft groomers, an enhanced
lump-sum payment for Ser-
visair (which is a subsidiary of
Swissport) ramp employees,
enhanced longevity pay and
improved sick-time credits for
Swissport employees, according
to the union.
The 855 members of lodge
16 provide ramp and grooming
services as well as operate and
maintain the entire baggage belt
systems at Vancouver Interna-
tional Airport.
G & K Services
employees
ratify contract
VAUGHAN, Ont. — United
Food and Commercial Workers
Canada (UFCW) Local 1006A
members working at G & K
Services, a uniform service
company, have ratified a new
five-year collective agreement.
The contract is retroac-
tive to Jan, 1, 2016, and covers
300 members at 12 locations
throughout Ontario.
Major highlights of the new
agreement include: wage in-
creases of 2.5 per cent in every
year of the agreement, signifi-
cant increases to the health and
welfare plan and pension plan,
improved contract language
to ensure that workers have
stability and maintain union
representation in the event of
a change in workplace loca-
tion. and better language for job
postings for permanent vacan-
cies to ensure greater opportu-
nity for workers in a wide range
of classifications.
"With the solidarity and sup-
port of the membership, our
union negotiating committee
did a tremendous job in achiev-
ing a strong and fair contract that
provides major gains and much-
needed stability for workers at G
& K Services," said Wayne Han-
ley, president of UFCW Canada
local 1006A.
USW ratifi es
agreement
with Telus
VANCOUVER — United Steel-
workers (USW) have ratified a
new collective agreement with
Telus.
The bargaining commit-
tee conducted meetings across
Canada during October to vote
on the tentative settlement. Bal-
lots were counted on Nov. 23,
with 68 per cent of ballots cast
in favour of acceptance, said the
union.
The new agreement has a six-
year term, with lump-sum pay-
ments and two per cent wage
increases in each of the agree-
ment's last three years, accord-
ing to the union.
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Demonstrators wear masks depicting Belgian Labour Minister Kris Peeters (L), Health Minister Maggie De
Block (C) and Prime Minister Charles Michel (R) during a rally organized by workers of Belgian public
health, social and cultural sectors in Brussels, on Nov. 24, 2016.
