By Mike Stimpson | Thunder Bay Source
The more than 120 Unifor members who work at Princess Court in Dryden, Ont., have a new collective bargaining agreement with their employer.
At information meetings last week, members of Unifor Local 324-14 voted 89 per cent in favour of a new 2.5-year contract with District of Kenora Homes for the Aged.
Unifor area director Stephen Boon said the contract includes “solid monetary gains and language improvements.”
“We’re very pleased to secure such a good deal that can set the bar for some of our other (health-care) groups in Dryden and the rest of the region in Northwest Ontario,” Boon told Newswatch.
The agreement includes wage increases of 2.75 per cent in the first year, three per cent in the second, and 1.25 per cent in the third year, as well as a “retroactive general wage increase on top of all other wage increases,” according to a news release from the union.
RNs and RPNs at Princess Court will see a 50-cent increase in hourly shift differentials while the shift differential for other employees will increase by up to 40 cents.
Other highlights include improved optical benefits, increases in uniform and footwear allowances, and more money for paramedical health benefits for personal well-being.
“Another big issue for this group is their paid lunches,” Boon said. “A lot of homes don’t have paid lunches.”
Princess Court workers secured the benefit in their new agreement and “obviously that’s a big financial thing if you’re having to take your half-hour paid lunch or half-hour unpaid lunch every day,” he said.
The contract also includes improved rules for “lieu time” — time off instead of overtime.
“We extended the period of time that you can actually take” lieu time to 90 days from 35, Boon explained.
Vacation language was improved so that employees qualify for more vacation weeks sooner, he added. A worker will now qualify for four weeks’ paid vacation after seven years, a year less than the previous threshold.
The vacation entitlement changes add a “retention and recruitment incentive” at the 97-bed care home as well.
“We’re very happy that we came to an agreement. Unifor has always been a great partner,” said Michelle Spencer, CEO and district administrator of District of Kenora Homes for the Aged, which also has facilities and programs in Kenora, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.
Local 324 president Katrina Peterson said the union is “pleased to secure major improvements for our Local 324 membership in Dryden while also continuing to maintain a solid working relationship with management at Princess Court.
“Unifor Local 324 will be bargaining with a number of other health care and social services groups in Dryden and across the region later this fall, and this new deal will help set the bar for our other sector negotiations,” she said.
