UFCW Canada Local 1000A members working at the Best Western Plus Mariposa Inn & Conference Centre, in Orillia, ratified a new three-year agreement with improvements to wages, and contract language.
“We are very proud of this new collective agreement which includes substantial gains for all members in our bargaining unit,” said Don Taylor, Regional Director (Central Ontario) who led negotiations for the local union.
Ratified on March 24, the contract covers nearly 50 Local 1000A members and runs from August 27, 2015 to August 27, 2018.
“It’s an amazing contract—the best one we have ever achieved,” said Patricia O’Brien, a member of the bargaining committee who works in guest services. “I am getting hugs and kisses—everyone is so happy.”
Local 1000A’s negotiations committee was led by Taylor, with support from Union Staff, Ray Ramkhelawan and Diana O’Brien and member Patricia O’Brien.
All members will received a negotiated raise of $0.40/hour effective the date of ratification on March 24, 2016. In the same year, they will receive their next negotiated raise of $0.40 effective August 27, 2016.
In the event minimum wage is increased during the term of the agreement, such increases shall be applied to all current bargaining unit members. As such, Local 1000A members will receive an additional increase of $0.15 this October 2016 as the provincial minimum wage increases.
Next year, members will receive a negotiated raise of $0.40/hour effective August 27, 2017. They will also receive any corresponding increase to provincial minimum wage as it takes place.
O’Brien, who has been with the company for 19 years, said the wage increases were among the biggest gains in the contract.
“Our negotiating team worked hard to achieve these increases.”
Other gains included improved language on temporary assignments. Workers, who are temporarily assigned to perform duties of a position with a higher pay, will be paid the higher rate of the job. When workers are temporarily assigned to a lower paying position, they will maintain their current rate of pay.
Previously, workers would have been paid the rate of the lower paying classification if they were assigned to that role temporarily.
