Amqui and Causapscal, Que. – January 9, 2020 — Labourers, assistants, mechanics, clerks, and delivery drivers at the Coop Purdel in Amqui and Causapscal, Quebec have achieved a new union contract that provides wage gains, increased premiums, and more.

The 25 members of UFCW Local 501 approved their new collective agreement late last year.

Under the new three-year contract, members will receive wage increases ranging from 2 to 11 percent – depending on position – for the first year of the contract, and 2 percent annually for the remainder of the agreement. Several improvements to working conditions have also been made, including:

• Increased premiums for the purchase of safety boots and tools;
• An increase in overall premiums;
• Improved vacation pay for part-time employees;
• A one-year reduction in the period to obtain vacation weeks for each level; and
• The introduction of a new statutory holiday payment method for part-time employees

“Coop Purdel employees are not new to bargaining as UFCW members. Negotiation after negotiation, they continue to improve their workplace while maintaining the benefits acquired in the past. We are proud of the trust they have placed in us over the years to work as their union," says Daniel Nadeau, UFCW Local 501 Eastern Quebec Director.

UFCW Local 501 represents more than 19,000 members working at over 410 companies across Quebec and northern New Brunswick. To learn more about UFCW 501 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.