Dependable Maintenance Janitorial Members Ratify

The members of UFCW Local 175 at Dependable Maintenance Janitorial (DMJ) in Toronto have ratified a new three-year collective agreement.

During this round of bargaining for the DMJ members, the Union Negotiating Committee sought the assistance of a conciliation officer in order to move the employer forward on wages.

The resulting ratified agreement contains a special wage adjustment in the first year of $0.25 per hour plus 2.5%. Members will also see increases of 2.5% in year two, and another 2.5% in year three. In addition, the Minimum Wage Plus (MW+) language improves to ensure those rates never fall below minimum wage plus $0.40 per hour.

Shift premiums improve to provide $0.70 per hour, up from $0.60, for weekends and nights. The Lead Hand premium increases to $1.50 per hour, up from $1.35, as well.

Members also wanted to see improvements to their health and welfare benefits with this renewal agreement. The Union Negotiating Committee secured the addition of compression socks and gloves or joint braces to the members’ health care spending account. Plus, members receive an additional $150, for a total of $500 per year, in their health care spending account. The Committee also secured an additional paid sick day, bringing the total to five per year.

To ensure a certain number of full-time positions are maintained, this agreement now contains language that caps the number of part-time and casual employees at 15% of the bargaining unit. Additional language will see menstrual products provided in the workplace at no charge to the members.

Union Negotiating Committee: Zoraida Degamo, Rosa Jacome, and Union Rep Amanda DeMelo.

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