Dainty Foods ratifies wage and premium increases with language gains in newly ratified collective agreement.

The membership in Windsor working at Les Aliments Dainty Foods Inc. ratified a three-year agreement on May 3, 2025. Wages for these workers will increase as follows: Tier 1: Year 1 – $1.25, Year 2 – $0.75, and Year 3 – $0.50. Tier 2: Year 1 – $1.50, Year 2 – $0.75, and Year 3 – $0.75.

Skilled Trades will receive: Date of ratification – $2.00/hour plus the yearly market wage increases as per Letter of Understanding #9. Additionally, there will be wage adjustments for: Tier 1 Miller of $1.00/hour and Tier 2 Shipper-Receiver of $1.00/hour. The Shipper and Lift Classifications will be combined and will secure a $1.00 increase.

There will be a new weekend premium introduced at $1.25 an hour, the afternoon shift premium will increase to $0.70 an hour, and the midnight shift premium will be $0.90 an hour.

The employer contribution to the pension will be increased to 40 cents an hour, and the maximum cap will increase to $900.00.

A new Healthcare Spending Account will be introduced at $400.00 a year, and the coverage for Psychologists and Psychotherapists will increase from $500.00 to $1000.00.

Language improvements include:

• Effective March 7, 2026: additional Float Day for employees hired after April 9, 2016.
• Employees will receive 10- or 12-hours straight time pay for each holiday listed in the collective agreement without being required to work.
• New: Letter of Understanding re: UFCW Training and Education Fund contribution of $500.00 per year of the contract.
• New: Health & Safety language added.
• Temporary Vacancies: If the senior employee is not trained for the job, they will be trained within 70 days.
• Additional hour will be added for the Chief Steward to attend to Union business.
• Temporary layoff language: employer will canvass high seniority employees interested in volunteering.
• Timeline of three weeks added to language re: job elimination and selection of suitable work process.
• Vision coverage increased.
• Employees now have one 25 minute and one 30-minute rest period.

Union negotiating committee: Shawn Stiers, Joe Stollar, and Tim Van Den Driessche. Union representative: Jennifer Hanley.

See more negotiation updates from the industrial food sector, including beverage production.

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