New collective agreement adopted at St-Hubert in Saint-Eustache

Montreal – November 20, 2023 – Unionized workers at the St-Hubert restaurant in Saint-Eustache have just signed a new collective agreement that will run until July 2026. The new contract for members of the United Food and Commercial Workers, Local 500 (UFCW 500) includes a new salary structure. This maintains a differential with the minimum wage, with an increase of $0.25 at the starting rate and $2.75 or $3.75 at the maximum rate, depending on continuous service and the position held. In addition, in the first year, salary increases are scheduled after six and twelve months of continuous service, followed by annual adjustments to reach the maximum rate after five years of continuous service.

Other improvements to working conditions include:

• Introduction of UFCW Quebec's employer-paid dental plan;
• Employees who are closing and are not entitled to a meal period receive a paid meal;
• The employer may recognize any experience, apprenticeship, equivalence or training mentioned at the time of hiring that it deems valid;
• The employer takes into account the number of months it recognizes as valid experience for the purposes of determining the rate of pay and integration into the salary scale;
• The parties agree to ensure that employees with similar experience, qualifications and total hours are paid on an equivalent basis;
• A 15% discount on orders at the counter or in the dining room and bar, up to a maximum of $100, for employees on leave;
• Employees at work will also benefit from a 50% discount on an order (maximum one meal) at the counter, so they can leave with their meal.

"Congratulations to the members of UFCW 500 who participated in the negotiation of this new contract. The agreement reached between the parties guarantees stability and improved working conditions for workers in the Laurentides region", concludes UFCW 500 President Antonio Filato.

With some 37,000 members in over 675 companies, UFCW 500 is the largest food and commercial union in Quebec. Our extended organization counts over 55,000 members in Quebec, 250,000 in Canada and over 1.3 million in North America. Our members work in all areas of the food industry and trade, as well as in other areas such as service, processing, manufacturing, technical and professional jobs. As Canada's most influential and progressive union, UFCW Canada is the country's most innovative organization working to advance justice in workplaces and communities. To find out more about UFCW 500, visit www.tuac500.com.