Liberte Brisbane ratifies with unanimous vote!

Recently, members working at the Liberte Brisbane facility ratified a new collective agreement.

This 3 year collective agreement was ratified at a meeting held on July 16, 2017. The increases include 2% retroactive on all hours worked to April 27 2017, 2% effective April 27 2018 and 2% effective April 27 2019.

The agreements includes many Health and Welfare improvements including:

• New benefit plan introduced will be paid 100% by the employer versus the previous plan which saw the employees contributing 10%.
• New STD plan which of 26 weeks at 66 2/3% which is employee paid.
• LTD coverage with option to purchase additional coverage of up to 70%.
• The vision care plan will increase $250 for employee and eligible dependants.
• Vision coverage increases from $100 for employee only, to $250 for employee and eligible dependants
• Life insurance will now be 1 times salary versus the previous $30000, with the ability to purchase up to 3x salary.
• The dispensing fee cap of $7 will be removed and dental coverage will be 100% of current fee guide versus 80% previously.
• Dental coverage will now provide new orthodontics at $2000 lifetime for employee and eligible dependants.
• Removal of family deductible of $100 and single deductible of $50
• Deletion of generic drugs so employee has no limitations.
• New fertility drugs provided
• New smoking cessation drugs

Additionally, new language for vacation selection will allow employees to select vacation in two different windows from Jan to March and April to December.

Vacation blackout periods at Christmas will be removed. New language has been added regarding outstanding vacation pay to be paid out 2nd pay period in December. There is additional new shift preference language by seniority and new bereavement provision allowing employee 1 day of bereavement at later date for delayed internment or other religious reasons. The boot allowance will increase from $125 to 140 effective Date of Ratification and to $145 effective April 27, 2018.

An enhanced severance agreement was achieved to provide notice pay to a maximum of 8 weeks, and additional severance pay based on 2 weeks per year of service to a maximum of 36 weeks, for a total of up to a maximum of 44 weeks of severance.

Negotiating committee: Richard Hannah, Joemar Mendoza and John DiNardo Union Rep.

See more negotiation updates from the industrial food sector.

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