Drummondville, Que. – April 18, 2017 – UFCW Canada Local 500 members working at Ferme des Voltigeurs in Drummondville, Quebec have ratified a new collective agreement.

As part of the new contract, parents of school-age children will receive first choice for vacation time during school breaks, and members will also enjoy wage increases of 10.5 to 18.5 percent over the course of the agreement, depending on wage categories.

Other highlights of the agreement include:

• All Class 1 – 4 team leaders will be paid at the Class 4 rate and will receive an extra $1 per hour;

• A trainer’s bonus of $1 per hour will be introduced;

• There will be a bonus of $0.25 per hour for the evening shift and $0.50 per hour for the night shift;

• There will be a new defect detection bonus of $0.50 per hour;

• Workers will get a fourth vacation week after 10 years of service, and a fifth week after 20 years;

• Workers who are entitled to three vacation weeks or more will be able to split their last week; and

• Seniority will be recognized for workers who previously worked for an agency, which will entitle them to more vacation weeks. 

“Our union is very proud of these negotiations, as we have managed to improve the working conditions of the members at Ferme des Voltigeurs, while making certain positions less precarious,” says UFCW Canada Local 500 President Antonio Filato. “I would like to extend my thanks to the bargaining committee for achieving such great results,” he adds.