First contract for members at Island Pharmacy – UFCW 1518

Vancouver Island, B.C. – March 5, 2018 – UFCW Canada Local 1518 members working at Island Pharmacy locations on Vancouver Island in British Columbia have achieved their first collective agreement.

The contract was ratified after eight months of bargaining and covers the 50 members working as front store clerks, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacists at nine Island Pharmacy locations.

Prior to joining the union, rate of pay was often determined by favouritism. Some workers received minimum wage, while others – including senior employees – received little or no wage increases.

The new contract features wage increases, daily seniority provisions, paid coffee breaks, increased vacation time, and more.

Members who are asked to work in locations other than their home store will now be paid travel time, as well as a kilometre allowance. Other gains will help improve working conditions, such as joint labour-management meetings, and language to ensure fairness around job postings, consecutive days off, and requests for time off. Importantly, anti-harassment provisions were negotiated into the contract to ensure a workplace free of sexual and racial harassment.

The negotiating committee consisted of UFCW Canada Local 1518 members Katie Richardson and Lisa Watson.

UFCW Canada Local 1518 represents over 20,000 members working in a diverse range of industries, including retail food, industrial food processing, community health, seasonal agriculture, and professional services. To learn more about UFCW Local 1518, visit www.ufcw1518.com.