Gerard Raymond Centre Members Ratify New Agreement
Edmonton, AB – July 12, 2019. UFCW Local 401 members at Excel Resources Society – Gerard Raymond Centre have ratified a new collective agreement by 96%. The deal, achieved with the assistance of a mediator, involves a number of key victories for UFCW members working for the non-profit society.
“It’s always difficult bargaining for with non-profit organization,” said UFCW Local 401 negotiator, Lee Clarke. “But our members focussed on language improvements that would change things for the better for them.”
Highlights of the three-year deal include:
- Wage increases now based upon anniversary date (hours worked for part-time and relief)
- Improved union representation language, including discipline meetings as well as a reduced sunset clause
- Improved grievance procedure with extended time limits
- Shorter hour progressions for wage increases to part-time and relief employees
- Better language on resolving new classifications disputes
- Realistic overtime standards
- Better work-week language with guarantees
- Protection for senior employees when the employer is reducing hours – must now reduce from bottom up
- Minimum pay guarantee when attending work
- Improved statutory holiday pay language, which includes a floater holiday
- Improved vacation language – including supplemental (extra week) vacation in anniversary years of 10, 15, 20 and 25th years.
- Possible to carry over sick time to the following year
- Improved leaves of absence provisions including the right to utilize sick days to supplement extended bereavement leaves
- Retroactive wage increase this year
Excel Society’s Gerard Raymond Centre is a non-profit organization and is funded by Persons with Developmental Disabilities, Alberta Health Services, and Child and Family Services. The focus at the Centre is to help clients discover their personal qualities. The clients our members work with have a wide range of disabilities such as brain injuries, mental illness and mental health concerns like Alzheimer’s, dementia and physical disabilities.
UFCW Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private sector union, representing workers in industries as diverse as retail, food production, hospitality, education, and health care.
Posted on: August 28,2019