Western Grocers, Saskatoon

From Negotiations report July, 2007

Following a strike vote supported by over 97% of the members at Saskatoon Western Grocers, now have a new Collective Agreement which was ratified by the their membership on June 18, 2007.  Some of the highlights of the settlement include:

• Wage increases of 50¢ per hour immediately; retroactive to the expiry of the previous Agreement (February 1, 2007).

• $1000 signing bonus to all employees who have more than one year of service with the employer.

• Wage increases of 60¢ per hour in February, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and 30¢ per hour in February, 2011 for the six month period to the expiry of the Agreement on July 31, 2011.

• A lump sum payment of $620,000 to the Canadian Commercial Workers Pension Plan in the form of a “stabilization fund” for these members.  This is in addition to all obligations the employer has under the Collective Agreement and the CCWIPP Master Agreement.

• A further 2¢ per hour over term contributed to the part-time Health and Welfare Trust Fund.

• Additional cents per hour contributions to the UFCW Dental Plan (this being over and above the additional funding the employer agreed to contribute prior to the Agreement expiring).

• An increase in the shift premium from 85 to 90¢ per hour.

• The employer is now required to honour seniority after one hour, opposed to the previous four hours, for all relief work assignments.

• The new Family Day Statutory Holiday has been included in the Agreement.

• 45% of full-time employees will be guaranteed Friday and Saturday, Saturday and Sunday or Sunday and Monday as their days off combination.  As many positions as possible will receive the Saturday and Sunday combination.  This number climbs to 58% wherever “operationally possible” to do so during busy periods.

• The ratio for allowing employees to go on vacation will increase from one in eight per shift to one in seven per shift.

• All temporary vacancies due to maternity, parental or adoption leave will be posted.

• Grandchildren have been added to four days of leave category in the compassionate leave clause.

• Boot allowance has been increased $15 annually to $75.

• Duty to accommodate language and language addressing personal harassment has been written into the Agreement as well on the formation of a Joint Labour Management Committee.

Congratulations to these members on their excellent settlement.  The Negotiating Committee consisted of Bob Magdalin, Vern Brown, Chris Kobie, Lang Neufeld, Brent Brososki and Rick Harder, who worked long hard hours and a few all night sessions in order to put this settlement together and who showed excellent union leadership in the workplace during some difficult times.  The committee was assisted by Secretary Treasurer Norm Neault, Collective Bargaining Representative Don Logan and throughout final days of negotiations, President Paul Meinema.

From Negotiations report May, 2007 - Update

Strike Vote Taken at Western Grocers, Saskatoon - Local 1400 members at Western Grocers Warehouse in Saskatoon have voted 97% in favour of taking strike action at meetings held on May 23rd, 2007. The membership of this unit  rejected the memorandum of settlement previously offered to them on May 14th. Updates will be posted as they become available.

From Negotiations report May, 2007

The union and employer have been bargaining this Collective Agreement since November 2006 and have made some progress with agreement on a number of issues. 

 

Some of the key issues still outstanding are management performing Bargaining Unit Work, the rights of part-time employees to restrict themselves without losing hours, and a clause on Engineered Standards.  Monetary issues include a pension stabilization fund, increases to the dental and sick and welfare fund, sick days, severance, premiums, and a decent wage increase.

 

The employer’s last proposal on the wage issue was a 20¢ increase each year over a five-year Agreement for top rate employees and a 10¢ increase per year for others.  New hires would receive the $1.75 increase previously implemented in 2006. In addition, they have indicated they would agree to a 15¢ increase to shift premiums over the five years. 

 

The committee was disappointed in the employer’s offer and is expecting a better offer be proposed at the next meeting dates.

From Negotiations report January, 2007

We met with this employer on November 29, 30, December 1 and 15, 2006. Some very small progress has been made, however, we have a lot yet to accomplish. The employer has a list of rollback demands; this, of course, is completely unacceptable. Further meetings were held in mid-January 2007.

From Negotiations report October, 2006 

This Agreement will expire by the end of the year.  The Negotiation Committee has met to review proposals that were submitted by the members of this unit.  It is anticipated that bargaining will commence in the very near future.