Direct Coil members ratify agreement with significant wage increases and more
May 30, 2022
On May 17, 2022, the bargaining unit at Direct Coil secured a three-year collective agreement with significant wage increases and other improvements.
Through conciliation, the Direct Coil Union Negotiating Committee also achieved a three-year term for the agreement instead of four, and a cap on how often the employer can assign mandatory overtime on weekends to bargaining unit members. The language now states that employees can only be assigned mandatory overtime up to 12 times per year, at a maximum of twice per month, and those assignments cannot be on consecutive weekends.
A new Attendance Bonus program will pay employees an additional $1 per hour, and $1.50 per hour for overtime, if they meet the attendance threshold requirements. The program will be broken down into three-month periods during the calendar year and the requirements reset at the end of each period.
Wage increases for employees on the grid range from $1 per hour to $4.55 per hour in the first year, depending on classification.
Years two and three of the agreement term bring across-the-board increases of 3% in each year. Employees above the wage grid will see increases of 3% in each year.
Employer-matching contributions to the group RRSP improve to a rate of 65 cents per hour, up from 50 cents. The maximum contribution also improves to $1,250 per year, up from $1,000. In addition, employees with 10 years of service or more at Direct Coil receive an annual RRSP Bonus Contribution payment from the employer of $1,000.
Members will also benefit from an improved per-kilometre payment of 50 cents per hour, up from 40 cents, when they use their personal vehicle for company purposes.
Further improvements will see overtime paid after 32 hours per week in a week containing a statutory holiday, and a job posting procedure with more reliance on seniority.
Union Negotiating Committee: Matt Alkenbrack, Grant Connell, and Trevor MacGregor. Union Representative: Joe Tenn.
Catch up on all the negotiation highlights from across the province here.
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