Toronto and Pickering, Ont. – February 21, 2016 – UFCW Canada Local 1000A members working at LensCrafters locations at the Scarborough Town Centre in Toronto and the Pickering Town Centre in Pickering, Ontario have ratified their first collective agreement.

The first contract brings numerous gains to the Toronto–area workers, including regular wage increases, no transfers without member consent, and a guaranteed minimum of at least four hours per shift. The LensCrafters members also now have a grievance procedure at work.

"I like a lot of things in the agreement, and I think we made progress from what we had before," says Johnny Chow, a member of the LensCrafters negotiating committee who works as an optician.

In addition to Brother Chow, the negotiating committee included UFCW Local 1000A Regional Director Don Taylor, Organizing Coordinator Jonathan Lobo, Senior Member Engagement Representative Petra Niebergall, and UFCW 1000A members Ian Curtis and Ashanti Maingot.

"On behalf of Local 1000A, I want to congratulate the LensCrafters workers on coming together to achieve their first contract," says Pearl Sawyer, president of UFCW Canada Local 1000A.

"Through their union membership, and with the assistance of dedicated and experienced negotiators, the LensCrafters members have successfully improved their working conditions," Sister Sawyers adds. "And that's what the union advantage is all about."