Members at Meta Centre Ratify
May 6, 2026
The 442 members at Meta Centre, working across the City of Toronto, have secured a new three-year collective agreement.
Members at Meta Centre are a part of the UFCW Local 175 HOPE Community Sector. Many members in this sector work for providers that are traditionally underfunded, and Meta Centre is no exception. With little funding, there is often little room for raises, but the Union Negotiating Committee worked hard to secure improvements for these members that go beyond wage increases.
Members will receive hourly increases totalling $1.91 per hour over the term of the agreement. The first increase will be paid retroactively for hours worked since the expiry of the previous collective agreement.
The Committee achieved a number of improvements to the members’ health & welfare and dental coverage. This includes moving members to the UFCW Locals 175 & 633 Ontario Dental Benefit Trust Fund which means 200 part-time employees now dental coverage for the first time. This move also improves full-time coverage to 100% of basics, up from 90%, and 80% coverage for major dental.
Members also now participate in the UFCW Benefit Trust Fund through Manion which will improve their healthcare spending account to $1,000, up from $500, with no deductible fee. Vision care coverage improves to $450, up from $250, and members also benefit from having no cap on their per-visit massage therapy coverage. Part-time employees now receive a paid sick day per year starting in 2027.
Further monetary increases that benefit our members is reimbursement of $0.65 per kilometre, up from the previous rate of $0.50, for the use of a personal vehicle for work purposes.
Part-time and Relief workers with five years or more of seniority now receive three weeks’ vacation paid at 6%. Members may also now carry over up to 40 hours of vacation time to the following calendar year, and if not used, it will be paid out. Plus, members can also now bank up to 32 hours of lieu time which will also be paid out if unused. Bereavement entitlement may now be taken in two blocks of time within a 12-month period.
Members will benefit from improved language regarding layoff with the ability to bump three times by seniority. Improvements on additional shifts include time limits on shift call-outs, and bidding and awarding of shifts based on seniority will now align with the shift app used by the employer. Previous language on call-outs and time limits did not align with the app.
Other language improvements address the implementation of a menstrual products program within one year of ratification and an understanding that should additional funding be received for wages and benefits, that the money goes toward wage increases for bargaining unit members. Plus, the Union Negotiating Committee achieved breakthrough language allowing Day program members with seniority choice on start time.
The employer will pay for the Union Negotiating Committee’s lost hours, and 50% of the cost for negotiation meeting rooms and costs of printing collective agreements for the members. In addition, the employer will now contribute $0.03 per hour paid to bargaining unit employees toward the UFCW Local 175 Training & Education Fund.
Union Negotiating Committee: Tamara Dickenson, Gladys Igharo, Kingsley Osabuohien, Sophia Sagias, Sean Samura, and Union Representatives Kasiobi Nwankudu and Meemee Seto.
Read more Negotiation Updates from the Local 175 HOPE Sector! What’s HOPE? It stands for Health, Office & Professional Employees.
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