Home Hardware members in Gananoque unanimously ratified a new collective agreement with a three-year term on January 26, 2023. Wage increases will be for Customer Service classification: Year 1 – 7.5%, Year 2 – 3% and Year 3 – 3%.  For the DZ Driver classification: Year 1 – significant increase, Year 2 – 3% and Year 3 – 3%.

Members were happy to achieve a reduction in the years required to attain vacation entitlement as follows: Four weeks vacation – 13 years reduced to 10 years, five weeks vacation – 20 years reduced to 18 years.  Additionally, one week of vacation can be used as individual days.

Other language improvements include:

• If the death of a family members (in the agreed to list) occurs while an employee is on shift and the employee is notified while at work, they shall be entitled to leave work with pay for the remainder of their shift. The remainder of that shift will not be considered the first day of bereavement leave pay.
• A 33% increase in the boot allowance from $150 to $200.
• There will be an increase from one day to two, with pay, for stewards to attend Union training or conference.

Union negotiating committee: Lorne Tuttle. Union representatives: Sean Carroll and Sandra Proulx.