Share
Unifor members at Vopak have voted 80 per cent in favour of their new collective agreement, putting an end to just over three months of strike action.
“We can be proud of this outcome and of our members’ unwavering commitment and support for their bargaining committee throughout the labour dispute,” said Renaud Gagné, Unifor’s Quebec Director. “We were able to obtain significant improvements in our working conditions, bringing them into line with those in the industry. I want to thank all the local unions that offered financial and moral support to our members at Vopak,” he added.
Highlights of this agreement include a salary increase from $27.55 to $35.20 an hour for employees with three or more years of service, which represents 85 per cent of the workforce. More junior employees will join their co-workers on a salary scale spread over three years. This is a four-year labour contract, with more than two years already elapsed. It runs from June 1, 2017 to June 30, 2021. A signing bonus of $12,000 for full-time employees was obtained, while part-time and probationary employees will receive $4,000. Other important gains include:
- Double time for overtime starting July 1st, 2020;
- Contribution of $0.05/hour for the Paid Education Leave (PEL) program;
- Increase to 5 per cent (from 4 per cent) for the employer’s contribution to the pension plan upon signing, rising to 6.5 per cent as of July 1st, 2020.
Vopak Terminals of Eastern Canada employs some 30 Unifor members working at the company’s oil terminals in Montreal and Quebec City.
