On March 12, 2021, members at the Gay Lea Brisbane facility in Toronto ratified a new collective agreement.
Members will see general wage increases of 2% in the first year which will be paid retroactive for hours worked since May 2020. Subsequent increases provide 2% in year two, 2% in year three, and 2.5% in year four. Upon ratification of the agreement, members receive a $200 bonus as a COVID thank you.
Employees in the Pasteurizer classification will receive an additional adjustment to their rate of 50 cents per hour in year one, paid retroactively to May 2020, and $1 per hour in May 2021. Lead Hand employees will receive an improved premium of $1.50 per hour.
Further monetary improvements will help put money back in the members’ pockets as well. This includes an increased safety boot allowance of $175, up from $125. This amount will further increase to $185 as of January 2023. Reimbursement for the purchase of safety eye wear increases to $200 every two years.
Members will receive an additional paid sick day per year. Vision care benefits will now cover $85 of the cost of eye exams every two years. The eyewear benefit will also improve, to $275 in 2021, and to $300 in 2023.
This agreement covers 35 full-time employees at the Gay Lea Brisbane facility in Toronto.
Union Negotiator: Union Reps Sacha Edey and Tony Nigro.
See more negotiation updates from the industrial food sector.
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