CHECKOUT SPRING 2022 - VOL XXXI NO 1
Dr. Oetker members end 8-day strike Read more on page 12.
Plus, a busy winter for bargaining. More negotiation summaries start on page 14.
UNION MADE – UNION PROUD
When you grab takeout, get delivery, or stop at the store or bakery to pick up some ready-made food, those food containers are likely Union-Made. From drink lids, to clamshell packs, hot meal containers, and more. Many of these products are made by the members of
UFCW Local 175 at Polar Pak. Turn to page 10 to meet Gurpreet Singh who is the Chief Steward for the members at Polar Pak!
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Checkout Spring 2022
WHAT’S INSIDE UFCW LOCAL 175
UFCW LOCAL 633
President Shawn Haggerty
President Marylou Mallett
Secretary-Treasurer Kelly Tosato
Secretary-Treasurer Brian Kozlowski
Recorder Karen Vaughan
Recorder Julie Hinsperger
Executive Assistants Rob Armbruster Chris Fuller Sylvia Groom
Angela Mattioli Jim McLean
HOPE SECTOR Director, Long-Term Care & Retirement: Sandra Ashcroft; Union Representatives: Ayesha Jabbar, Derek Jokhu, Dean McLaren, Steve Springall
6 Staff Changes Retirement notice
7 IWD & Equal Pay Day
8 Welcome New Members
Dare Foods, Salvation Army, and more...
Director, Community Care: Sandra Rogerson; Union Representatives: Nabeela Irfan, Casey Magee, Meemee Seto; Servicing Representative: Hodan Wais REGION 1 Director & Union Representative: Tracy Stubbs; Union Representative: Alex Stubbs REGION 2 Director: Lee Johnson-Koehn; Union Representatives: Rick Daudlin, Sacha Edey, Christina Mayberry, Tony Nigro, Sabrina Qadir REGION 3 Director: Paul Hardwick; Union Representatives: Sean Carroll, Shannon Epp, Kimberly Hunter, Joe Tenn; Servicing Representative: Sandra Proulx REGION 4 Director: John DiNardo; Union Representative: Tim Kelly; Servicing Representatives: Nunzio Cannistraci, Virginia Haggith, Jennifer Hanley, Amanda Nagy, Chris Watson REGION 5 Director: Jehan Ahamed; Union Representatives: Joce Cote, Mario Tardelli; Servicing Representatives: Rolando Cabral, Kelly Dick REGION 6 Director: Sam Caetano; Union Representatives: Dave Forbes, Jason Hanley, Mike Mattioli, Melody Slattery, Navidad Talbot, Fred Teeple
10 Our Members at Work
Chief Steward Gurpreet Singh from Polar Pak
12 Dr. Oetker Strike
After eight days on the picket line, members ratified a new agreement...
14 Negotiation Updates
Paramed, Herb & Spice, Metro, and more...
REGION 7 Director: Jehan Ahamed; Union Representatives: Chris Bernardi, Todd Janes; Servicing Representatives: Arlene Robertson, Michael Windley REGION 8 Director: Derik McArthur; Union Representatives: Jeff Barry, John Beaton, Richard Eberhardt, Jim Hames HEALTH & SAFETY, WORKERS’ COMPENSATION, and PAY EQUITY: Workers’ Compensation Coordinator: Sarah Neath; Workers’ Compensation Intake Representative: Georgina MacDonald; Workers’ Compensation Representatives: Joanne Ford, Nelson Pereira, Courtney Salomons; Pay Equity Representatives: Orsola Augurusa, Matt Davenport; Health & Safety Representative: Mary Shaw LEGAL Director: Jane Mulkewich; Counsel: Shauna Fabrizi-Jomaa, Mary Hurley, Matthew Jagodits, Silvia Neagu, Kendall Yamagishi
21 Health & Safety
Racial discrimination & harassment, plus mental health at work.
23
26 Outstanding Achievement Awards
Workers’ Compensation Injury prevention and reporting
Meet last year’s winners
ORGANIZING Director: Rick Wauhkonen; Organizing Representatives: Ricardo Bocanegra, Tim Hum, Jeffery Lu, Lionel MacEachern, Amy Tran TRAINING & EDUCATION Coordinator: Kelly Nicholas; Servicing Representative: Teresa Wilson; COMMUNICATIONS Coordinator: Jennifer Tunney; Communications Representatives: Laurie Duncan, Ashleigh Vink PROJECT COORDINATOR Wei Chen
UFCW LOCALS 175 & 633 MAILING ADDRESS & HEAD OFFICE 2200 Argentia Road, Mississauga ON L5N 2K7 Tel: 905-821-8329 Toll Free: 1-800-565-8329 Fax: 905-821-7144 Email: membership@ufcw175.com CAMBRIDGE | LEAMINGTON | OTTAWA | SUDBURY | THUNDER BAY
ISSN No. 1703-3926 CHECKOUT is an official publication of Locals 175 & 633 of the United Food & Commercial Workers (UFCW)
UUWO
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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Watch a brief message from President Haggerty on
YouTube
Chronic issues plague our province: we all need to vote on June 2 A 2019 Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers survey found that 30% of Ontario’s workers “experienced symptoms of burnout ‘all of the time’ or ‘a large part of the time’.”1 Thirty per cent of Ontario’s 7.5 million2 workers is equal to 2.25 million people experiencing burnout. Behind that statistic are millions of family, friends, and co-workers in a significant state of mental distress that affects far more than just their work. As the June election nears, the state of mental health for Ontario’s workers should be at the front of our minds. We need to elect a government that, quite frankly, gives a sh*t about working people and the quality of life those working people have. There are always strings attached to promises made leading up to an election and the decisions made once in office. But when a government or candidate constantly boasts about slashing spending, that money has to come from somewhere. The province’s elimination of the annual license renewal fee is a good example. That $120 in our
pockets has a steep price tag of $1 billion in lost revenue for the province. That’s $1 billion less going to schools, healthcare, social programs and infrastructure. At a time when our healthcare workers have been begging for support, and the quality of care for our loved ones is on the line, why is that money not going toward that sector? If we can afford to lose a billion dollars in revenue, why are so many healthcare workers’ wages still limited to a 1% increase by Bill 124? Underfunded programs inevitably fail because there’s no money to run them; privatization of those services is the next step. While this is happening, to distract from the long game happening underneath it all, we see inadequate scraps tossed out: •
A $15 minimum wage (several years after Ford himself cancelled a planned increase);
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New legislation on employee rights to disconnect from work (while leaving what that means up to the discretion of the employer);
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“Protections” for Gig work-
ers (that treat them as another class of worker and don’t allow them to qualify as employees under the Employment Standards Act); •
Saving Ontarians $120 per year on license renewal fees (a gift with a hefty price tag);
•
Paying a $5,000 retention bonus to nurses (just before an election instead of two years ago, and while Bill 124 remains intact).
None of this addresses the employment, healthcare and other systems that are crumbling with far too many people made to fight just to get by. And worse, the system leaves many people behind altogether, impoverished by a cycle that perpetuates only existing wealth and power. It took until the end of March for Ontario to sign on to the $10 perday childcare plan. Affordable childcare can save families thousands of dollars a year, and help ensure that parents that want to return to work can do so, particularly women who, for many reasons including an average wage gap of 32%, are the primary … continued at the bottom of page 6
SECRETARY-TREASURER’S MESSAGE
Watch a brief message from Secretary-Treasurer Tosato on
YouTube
Strength and resolve continue to bring new members to the Union Last year, our Organizing Team helped 752 workers join our Union. From healthcare to child education services, food production to not-for-profit work, and more: workers across all sectors are voting Union Yes. It’s also encouraging to see that across Canada and the U.S., more young people – from cannabis workers to coffee baristas, and more – are discovering the advantages of joining a union. With a passion for social justice and incredible networks connected to causes that are close to their hearts, I believe the future of the labour movement is in enthusiastic and capable hands. In 2021, among all permanent and temporary employees over the age of 15 across Canada, unionized workers made an average of $4.57 more per hour than non-union employees.1 At 40 hours a week, that’s $182.80 more per week or just over $9,500 per year. And, dues are tax deductible. But unionized workers achieve a better quality of life through more than just higher wages, and the pandemic seems to have
brought about a resurgence in workers desiring more from their jobs. Workers organize because: •
Government isn’t protecting or improving workers’ rights;
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Bosses don’t follow through on their ‘promises’;
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They want and deserve fair wages, benefits, pensions, paid time off, better health and safety, and more;
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They want a way to seek recourse against injustice in the workplace, and;
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They understand that standing strong together and looking after one another is the best way to achieve gains that benefit everyone.
Solidarity, strength and resolve are what get workers through tough rounds of bargaining, whether for a first agreement or a renewal. That doesn’t mean that workers will always get everything they asked for, but it’s about taking steps with each round of bargaining to level the playing field and, in particular, raise up and give a voice to those workers who might otherwise get left behind.
The importance of unions goes beyond bargaining, too. Many of the workers’ rights won over decades of hard-fought battles now benefit all kinds of workers. That includes minimum wage, the 40hour workweek, paid vacation, parental leave, and much more. From fighting back against antiworker legislation, to protecting existing rights like the ability to join a Union, and more, your Union will continue to use every opportunity to lobby all levels of government to ensure that workers have a voice at the table. Congratulations to all of our newest members on their courageous victories, which you can read more about on page 8. And to every new member who joins us – whether through a hard-won campaign or by starting a new job at a company where the employees are already members – welcome to Your Union. In Solidarity, Kelly Tosato treasurer@ufcw175.com Statistics Canada. Table 14-10-0066-01 Employee wages by job permanency and union coverage, annual
1
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STAFF RETIREMENTS For Daniel Mercier, hard work and dedication to his job and family have always been priorities. He learned at a young age that to be successful, he would need to work hard. Daniel grew up in a strong Union household. Union executives would gather at his Daniel Mercier family home, to have lively constructive discussions. It was in this atmosphere that Daniel grew up, surrounded by people of conviction who, even when their opinions differed, all had the will to change the course of things. After college, Daniel started a job as a labourer at the same metallurgy plant as his father. Soon after, Daniel became a crane operator. “I spent the time between crane-loads to find health and safety issues and violations; it became my passion,” said Daniel. During his years at the plant, he became a Health & Safety steward, negotiating committee member, then financial secretary of his Union. He went back to school at university during evenings and weekends, to study health and safety, and then Industrial Labour Relations. At work, his co-workers elected him to be a full-time Health & Safety Representative.
“I am proud to have followed in my father’s footsteps,” said Daniel. “I worked with him for ten years until his retirement. I still carry his values with me.” Daniel then spent about five years working as a Union Representative in the textile industry. In 2004, Daniel joined the staff of UFCW Locals 175 & 633 as a Union Representative under the mentorship of then-regional director Dan Lacroix, who Daniel said “had all the trust of the members and the support of the officers. My director was such an amazing mentor and friend during this time.” In 2016, the Union appointed Daniel as a Regional Director, “I’ve worked with fabulous Union Representatives, I couldn’t ask for more, they have all been dedicated to the cause.” “There will always be challenges,” added Daniel. “The important thing is that we all work together to find solutions for our members. I salute the members and co-workers I worked with over the years, and thank our officers and executive for building a strong and proud team. Their work ethic and integrity, and the trust they showed for me – that’s something I will never forget. I bow out with all these riches.” “Daniel has been a tireless and dedicated voice for workers and he will be missed by many,” said President Haggerty. “Bonne chance, mon ami!”
President’s message continued from page 4 …
caregivers in many households. But, Ontario was the last province/territory to sign on. Affordable childcare could have been done long ago, but it only became a priority a few months before an election.
Your labour is valuable. This province has a robust and skilled workforce and it has the capacity to be a global leader in workers’ rights, quality universal healthcare, and much more.
A government that cares about people does not create or sustain barriers to living wages, affordable childcare, good healthcare, and public services. Workers should feel valued and be compensated fairly, and have the resources and support they need, particularly through difficult times.
I encourage you to vote on June 2 for the government you believe cares the most for working people and would strive to move this province and the interests of workers forward.
And you shouldn’t have to wait for an election to have it happen.
Shawn Haggerty president@ufcw175.com
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In Solidarity,
1 Ontario Health Clinic for Ontario Workers: Workplace Mental Health. https://www.ohcow.on.ca/ workplace-mental-health/ Accessed Mar 8, 2022 2Ontario Government: Labour Market Watch. https://www.ontario.ca/page/labour-market Accessed Mar 8, 2022
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY – MARCH 8 International Women’s Day (IWD) addressed a range of topics including racial justice, sexism, Islamophobia, climate justice, protecting Indigenous peoples and territories, Truth and Reconciliation, funding healthcare and childcare, Bill 124, the pandemic, and much more.
to Canada as refugees, and more. Click the image of Andrea to watch the full video of the event.
Credit: screenshot of the Toronto International Women’s Day virtual event.
The Toronto event included Andrea Babbington (top), the President of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council and the first Black woman labour council president in Canadian History. The virtual celebration included heartfelt stories shared by women about working in the childcare and healthcare sectors, finding skilled work as an immigrant woman, the struggle for migrant workers’ rights, coming
Stewards, members and family attended the Cornwall District Labour Council International Women’s Day event with keynote speaker Bea Bruske, President of the CLC. Bea also took part in the virtual Peel Region event, which included a discussion on human trafficking and intimate partner violence.
Bea, along with Lily Chang, CLC Secretary-Treasurer, and Siobhan Vipond, CLC Executive Vice-President, is the first-ever all-women slate to be elected to the CLC’s executive positions.
EQUAL PAY DAY: APRIL 12, 2022 Equal Pay Day marks how long into 2022 the average woman must work to earn what the average man earned in 2021. Women still face a staggering average pay gap of 32%. That gap gets worse for Indigenous women (45%) and all women of colour (40%), immigrant women (55%), and women with a disability (56%). Transgender women will experience an average 30% drop in wages after transitioning. The Equal Pay Coalition and its allies have a list of demands for the Ontario government. On April 12 at 7 p.m., watch the #EqualPayDay Provincial Leaders debate live-streamed on Facebook, YouTube, and Vimeo. Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath, Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca and Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner will all be there. As of publishing this issue, Premier Ford will not be attending. Visit the Coalition online and watch for #EqualPaDay video messages from members of UFCW Locals 175 & 633! • Facebook @EqualPayON
• Instagram @equalpaycoalition
• Twitter @equalPayON
• equalpaycoalition.org.
EQUAL PAY DAY DEMANDS 1. Raise minimum wage to a living wage. 2. Mandate permanent paid sick days for workers. 3. Implement the Pay Transparency Act. 4. Establish affordable, accessible public childcare and decent wages and work conditions for childcare workers. 5. Fund public services and equip health, community and social services, and education workers with decent wages and working conditions. Page 7
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!
WIN A CA SH R E WA WAR RD Are you a member of UFCW Locals 175 & 633 and know someone in a non-union workplace who wants more info on how our Union can help improve their work life?
Contact our Organizing Team. If UFCW Locals 175 & 633 organize and certify a group of workers because of a lead you provide to the Organizers, you will be eligible to win a CASH REWARD! • More than 30 but fewer than 50 workers
$300
• More than 50 but fewer than 75 workers
$500
• More than 75 but fewer than 100 workers
$800
• More than 100 workers
$1,000
• Core Sector Bonus*
+25%
For full details and restrictions go to ufcw175.com/honorarium or contact* our Organizing Team at 1-800-565-8329 or organizing@ufcw175.com Page 8
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Employees at National Diabetes Trust in Hamilton vote Union Yes Our Union is proud to welcome the new members at National Diabetes Trust, who join our Union family and will enjoy the benefit of being Union alongside colleagues at two other locations in the GTA. The newly unionized employees at National Diabetes Trust in Hamilton collect public donations of unwanted gently used clothing and household items to support the charity. Drivers collect the donated items at donation boxes located in the Hamilton region. This month-long campaign to unionize was led by two members who fought for higher wages, improved job security, and among other things, respect and dignity on the job.
Salvation Army employees stood up to secure seniority rights and better working conditions On December 9 and 10, 2021 110 new members from The Salvation Army York Housing and Support Services voted in favour of joining the Union. These members work between three Salvation Army locations in the York and Durham Region, and provide support in those communities through housing and support services at not-for-profit shelters. Services they provide include a housing and settlement programs through which our members help clients secure work and housing. These programs help meet basic needs by providing a safe place, a warm bed, hot meals, and tools to enhance stability. These members approached Local 175 to secure seniority rights, better wages and working conditions; to eliminate favouritism; and to hold their employer accountable to the commitments they have made to their employees. Over the sixweek campaign, the workers showed their strength and resolve to having a successful vote.
Representation at the heart of Dare Foods employees’ organizing campaign On December 23 and 24, 2021, approximately 170 employees at Dare Foods located in Cambridge voted in favour of joining the Local Union. The employees who comprise the bargaining unit perform many job tasks, including everything from sanitation to maintenance and production, to ensure retail grocery customers can find the familiar food and confections they enjoy.
How many WORKERS voted UNION YES and joined UFCW LOCAL 175 last year?
The employees at Dare hope to achieve safer and more secure jobs, and overall better working conditions where issues are dealt with in a timely manner.
Pipeline Controllers join the Union On Tuesday, January 11, 2022, the Union welcomed 12 new members from Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc. located in the city of Richmond Hill. These new members were certified through the Canada Industrial Relations Board and are Federally regulated under the Canada Labour Code.
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Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc. is a company that controls the flow of oil and gas from Alberta, through Ontario and into Quebec, by underground pipelines. These new bargaining unit members work as line controllers, who monitor and control the flow of the oil and gas in the pipelines. These workers wanted to have a voice in deciding their job conditions, and look forward to bargaining so they can work toward better job security, shift consistency, seniority rights, and more in their first collective bargaining agreement. Page 9
OUR MEMBERS AT WORK As a consumer, you may not have heard of Polar Pak, but chances are you’ve purchased prepared food and ready-to-eat meals that use containers made by members of UFCW Local 175. At Polar Pak, the members manufacture a variety of different plastic containers and other packaging used by many companies across the grocery, bakery, restaurant and other food-related industries.
Gurpreet Singh works a morning shift at one of the six Polar Pak facilities in Brampton. Across those six plants, there are more than 400 members of UFCW Local 175, and Gurpreet is their Chief Steward. As someone who enjoys meeting new people, helping those in need, and standing up for justice, Gurpreet’s colleagues encouraged him to become a Steward when the employees at Polar Pak joined UFCW Local 175 in 2017. His co-workers then supported Gurpreet in his bid to become Chief Steward for the members in early 2021. “I wanted to be a reliable resource for the members and the face of the Union at work,” said Gurpreet. “Being Union members gives us a strong platform for justice and I wanted to help ensure a better workplace for my colleagues.” Every day, Gurpreet wakes up early for his shift. He puts in over 78 hours bi-weekly working at the plant. While some of the hours at work are allowed for union business, Gurpreet also volunteers many hours more advocating for his co-workers. “Gurpreet is a great leader in the workplace,” said Union Rep Tony Nigro. “He’s passionate, and he’s dedicated to being the best advocate he can be for his co-workers.” Gurpreet is a Material Handler and Forklift Driver at Polar Pak and has 14 years of experience at the company. For six years, Gurpreet worked in the Receiving Department. Recently, the employer assigned him to work in Shipping where he is responsible for moving skids from the warehouse to trailers, and Page 10
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ensuring customers get the products they ordered. During the pandemic, as restaurants and consumers shifted to more take out and delivery services, the products made at plants like Polar Pak became even more present in our day-to-day lives. “Too often, people forget how complex the food supply chain really is,” said President Haggerty. “These workers have been hard at work behind the scenes throughout this pandemic to help ensure a steady supply of product that other industries rely on in order to get food to customers. Most people don’t think about where packaging comes from, but these frontline workers are proud of their product and dedicated to their jobs.” One of the accomplishments Gurpreet is most proud of is reducing the number of lost-time injuries at the workplace. Gurpreet and the team of Joint Health & Safety Committee (JHSC) members and Stewards successfully improved health and safety in a number of ways, including: •
Creating more space on the plant floor by thinking vertically, and hoisting fans up onto the pillars in the plant and installing racks.
•
Recommending that wiring, once sprawling on the floor, be drop-wired to buy more floor space and eliminate slip and trip hazards.
Gurpreet is also particularly proud of the most recent collective agreement ratified by the members at Polar Pak. The deal included good wage increases plus a bonus, a new employer-matching RRSP plan, improved vacation, better shift premiums, and much more. Read the full summary on page 14. “I like the challenges of being a Steward and I like helping and interacting with people,” said Gurpreet. “The team of Stewards I work with has been instrumental in our success, and it’s rewarding when we can make the workplace better for everyone.”
Thank you, Gurpreet, for being a strong Union supporter, a dedicated advocate for your co-workers, and a frontline essential worker.
Gurpreet Singh
Chief Steward, Polar Pak
EIGHT-DAY STRIKE AT DR. OETKER With temperatures hovering around minus eight degrees overnight, members at Dr. Oetker in London set up their first night of strike action just after 12:01 a.m. on February 16, 2022. Dressed for the cold and with warm coffees in hand, the members dug in and held strong. The Union Negotiating Committee and the employer had met over 10 days of bargaining, including conciliation, since September 2021. The 251 members at Dr. Oetker began their strike at 12:01 a.m. on February 16, 2022, after rejecting a company final offer presented to them the Saturday before. After seven days on the picket line, the Union Negotiating Committee came to the membership with a tentative agreement. The following day, members voted to ratify that settlement. Wage increases for all classifications in the first year will be paid retroactive for all hours worked since January 1, 2022. Workers in the Bakery and Foreperson classifications will see wage increases of 50 cents per hour in year one, and all other classifications will see an initial increase of $1 per hour, which is five cents per hour more than the increase included in the previous final offer. Those workers classified as Warehouse and Sanitation will receive an additional wage adjustment of 50 cents per hour effective the date of ratification, which was not included in the previous final offer. Subsequent increases for workers in all classifications will include 40 cents per hour in year two, and another 40 cents per hour in year three of the agreement term.
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The production bonus for Bakery workers, other than Bakery General Labour, improves to $1,500 instead of the $1,250 in the previously rejected offer. ¬All other classifications will receive a bonus of $750. In addition, the company will pay employees for the Family Day statutory holiday provided they return to work as scheduled on February 24 and 25. Language improvements include provisions for the continuation of paid sick days and paid vacation for members during a layoff, shortage of work, or shutdown. The agreement contains new language on monthly stewards’ meetings and a Letter of Understanding between the company and the Union that will help address workplace issues. Other negotiated improvements include an improved boot allowance of $200 per year, up from $150, and new grievance procedure language. Members ratified the new agreement by 62 per cent, and after eight days on the picket line, employees began returning to work on February 24. Union Negotiating Committee: John DeQuartel, Bryce Doiron, Bill Herron, Union Representative Fred Teeple, and Regional Director Sam Caetano.
This page, clockwise from top: Members attend a meeting to review the new agreement, which was ratified by 62%; Members setting up flags and a tent near the entrance to the plant; Members on picket duty; fires burn to keep the night shift warm on a cold night in February.
NEGOTIATION UPDATES Members at GDI Services achieve long fought for RRSP contributions with new agreement The members from GDI Services working at the Pickering Town Centre have ratified a new three-year deal on February 1, 2022. Wage improvements are as follows: Year 1 – $.50 (split into 2 increases), Year 2 – $.60 cents (split into 2 increases), Year 3 – $.70 (split into 2 increases). Other improvements include an increased boot allowance to $80 at 100% reimbursement and meal allowance will now be $15 up from $10. Members will now be entitled to 5 weeks of vacation after 15 years, there will be the addition of one floater/sick day and the bereavement allowance will increase from 3 to 5 days. We are happy to report that an RRSP plan that the employer will match (1% of gross wages) will be introduced. This was a very important item for our members as they have been trying to achieve this for many years and they will now have another way to help save for retirement,
Polar Pak members ratify monetary On November 5, 2021, Polar Pak members ratified a three-year agreement. As of ratification, all classifications in all grids receive an increase of $2 per hour. Years 2 and 3 will each bring a 2.2% increase for all employees who have passed probation, with no red-circling to the above rates. All members get a $500 signing bonus. A new Yearly Loyalty Bonus will pay all employees with five or more years of service up to $600 dollars in each year of the agreement; Employees with one to five years of service receive $400 per year, and; Those with less than one year will be pro-rated at $50 per month of service for their first year. The Night Shift Premium improves to $.70 per hour immediately, and then to $.75 per hour in the third year of the deal. Seniority lists will be posted in all plants for all workers every three months. With the implementation of a new position, the employer will provide the Union with the job description. A new performance-based incentive allows members to earn an extra $50 per month based on performance, fill rates, and health and safety. A new Trainer incentive provides a $100 premium to a member who trains another individual proficiently on a job. Call-in pay improves to four hours, up from three, and each year the employer will pay for a Costco Membership for each member. A new member RRSP/DPSP retirement savings plan will see the employer match up to 2%.
Union Negotiating Committee: Rosita Kapsalakis, Mladenka Tojcic. Union Rep: Christina Mayberry.
New acupuncture and massage benefits cover members and dependents up to $200 each per year. Coverage for prescription eye wear improves from $200 to $250, safety prescription eye wear goes from $150 to $200, and the compression stocking benefit now includes spouses and covers up to $500 combined. The Safety Boot allowance improves to $125 per year,
Stay up to date as members ratify! Page 14
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and language improvements or $200 total once every two years, and the Maintenance Tool allowance improves to $350 per year. Employees receive an improved mileage allowance of $1 per kilometre for required travel between plants. Once a year, the employer will move eight senior employees to a preferred shift within the same job classification. All members now receive three paid floater days per year, up from two. Vacation improves to provide an additional week paid at 10% for members with 20 years of service or more. In addition to a member’s regular vacation entitlement, and based on seniority, a member will be granted up to an extra four weeks of unpaid leave every second year to travel abroad. Bereavement Leave includes an additional paid day if the member needs to travel 250 km or more for the funeral of an immediate family member. Members will be paid to attend grievance meetings when not working: 30 minutes paid minimum for phone calls, and one hour minimum paid if the member is required to attend the plant. The employer will include Stewards, the Chief Steward, and the Union Rep in any Step 3 meeting. The employer will contribute $1,000 per year to the UFCW Local 175 Training & Education Fund, and will pay the cost of the Chief Steward working on labour relations for one day per week. Each year, upon request of the Union, two employees will be granted time off for Union business for a single block of six weeks each. New language states that the Negotiating Committee will include one bargaining unit member from each of the six plants, and the company will pay for half the negotiating committee’s time during negotiations. Union Negotiating Committee: David D’Souza, Marius Nedelcu. Vijay Samra. Gurpreet Singh, Aseem Vashishat. Union Representative: Tony Nigro.
Visit ufcw175.com.
CapsCanada members ratify deal with retroactive wage adjustments Members at CapsCanada in Windsor ratified a fouryear agreement on February 17, 2022. Effective October 12, 2021, adjustment increases to rates for all hours worked, including overtime, apply as follows: •
Janitorial & Finisher – $1.22 per hour
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Utility – $3.15 per hour
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Floater & Shippers – $ 3.41 per hour
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QA & Operators – $4.80 per hour
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Gel & HPC Techs – $5.14 per hour
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Mechanics – $7.12 per hour
Wages increase retroactively by 60 cents per hour for hours worked since October 12, 2021. Subsequent increases over the remaining three years of the deal will total a further $2.10 per hour. The shift premium increases from 60 cents to 75 cents per hour and members will get a $500 bonus paid two weeks after date of ratification. RRSP contributions will increase from 2.55% to 3%. The vision allowance goes from $220 to $300, and massage therapy coverage goes from $750 to $1000. Paid sick days increase from two to four days, and bereavement leave from three to four days. Paid break periods will increase to 25 minutes up from 20. Members will receive one personal day per year and the boot allowance will increase to $140. The employer will contribute $500, up from $250, to the UFCW Local 175 Training and Education fund. Union Negotiating Committee: Reynaldo Borras, Jesse Fairthorne, Ann Marie Fisher, Brian Thompson. Union Rep: Fred Teeple.
NEGOTIATION UPDATES Paramed Waterloo Region members achieve substantial wage increases in new three-year agreement The 110 members at Paramed ratified a new deal on December 29, 2021 that includes increases that average 7%. The new wage grid will see increases of between $1.86 per hour and $9.12 per hour amounting to 2% to 16% over the term of the agreement. Twelve red-circled Nurses will receive lump sum payments of 1.4% each per year. Mileage will increase from $.39/km to $.42/km over the term of agreement. The agreement also includes improvements to availability requirements for casual nurses.
Union Negotiation Committee: Debbie Charron, Tracey Killingbeck and Ashley Voisin. Union Representative: Steve Springall. Below: Paramed members voted at a drive-thru set up due to changes to COVID-19 restrictions at the hotel originally booked for the meeting.
The Union Negotiating Committee achieved a new palliative and pediatric premium of $2 per hour per visit. This important issue was the subject of an arbitration after previous bargaining. Members voted in a drive-thru set up, which was a last-minute change due to the hotel cancellation because of COVID-19 restrictions.
ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT THE LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY OF CANADA
BACK ON FOR 2022
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May 28, 2022
•
Lionhead Golf & Country Club, Brampton
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Registration at 11:30 a.m.
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Shotgun Start/Four-Person Scramble at 1:28 p.m.
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$125 each for Members of UFCW Locals 175 & 633
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$165 each for non-Local Union members
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Register by: May 10, 2022
Visit ufcw175.com/golf2022 for registration forms. Page 16
Metro members across the province ratify Members covered by the Metro Ontario Inc. agreement have ratified a four-year deal covering almost 8,000 workers at 52 stores. After 20 days of negotiations, the committee comprised of 11 members including full and part-time unanimously recommended the settlement to the membership and it was successfully ratified at 24 in-person meetings across the province on March 9, 2022. Significant wage improvements were achieved throughout the contract which are all retroactive to November 21, 2021. A new revised meat cutter pay scale will increase the current top rate by $3.20 per hour to $23 in 2021 with additional wage increases in each year of the contract thereafter. The contract now includes part-time meat cutters, which did not exist before and in fact these workers were previously prohibited. Part-time meat cutters will be paid the same rate as full-time meat cutters. As a result of this change for meat cutters, Assistant Meat Department Heads will also see a wage adjustment of $2.75 per hour above the top rate with additional wage increases in each year of the contract thereafter. Newly negotiated full-time Union positions of Assistant Head Cashier and Assistant Deli Department will create many new full-time jobs. The Vision Care allowance improves from $225 to $300 for full and part-time, and Short-Term Disability increases from 66 2/3% at $520 per week to $638 per week. Benefits were negotiated for active full and part-time employees who work beyond age 65, ensuring benefits for approximately 650 members. The safety boot allowance will increase from $100 to $125 for both full and part-time members. The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation has been added to the list of holidays for all employees. New language governs online grocery orders (Metro’s E-Commerce business) that provides structure and defined full and parttime jobs. Other improvements include the addition of a new Personal Emergency Leave (PEL) day for full-time employees. Part-time employees achieved a new Sick Leave Plan that provides up to 24 hours of sick time for eligible part-time workers, which is generally unheard of in grocery retail. Vacation language improvements will allow more employees to be off at the same time during the summer months. A new student Leave of Absence (LOA) program for those attending post-secondary studies will allow students to take a LOA for periods of up to four months to attend studies without losing their seniority.
Union Negotiating Committee: Rick Alagierski (461); Gregg Boyachuk (425); Christine Fitzgerald (132); George Lacasse (245); Tracy Lovejoy (204); Stephen Maunder (26); Tony Morello (178); Linda Souliere (181); Rita-Lynn Swiderski (421); Robin Wilson (453); Marylou Mallett, President of Local 633 (140); Tim Kelly, Union Representative; Colleen Cox and Amanda Nagy, Servicing Representatives; John DiNardo, Director of Region 4; Sylvia Groom, Executive Assistant; Kelly Tosato, Secretary-Treasurer, and; Shawn Haggerty, President. Page 17
NEGOTIATION UPDATES Members at Herb & Spice in Ottawa achieve three-year deal On February 8, 2022, members at Herb & Spice Food and Wellness Shop in Ottawa ratified a new deal. Members at end rate receive rate increases as follows: Year 1 – Minimum Wage plus $1.10, Year 2 – MW plus $1.25, and Year 3 – MW plus $1.40. Minimum Wage plus language will apply for all cashiers and clerks. Other classifications receive increases of 2% in each year of the agreement term. Employees working since 2020 receive a pandemic lump sum payment of $400. Those working since 2021 will receive a $200 lump sum. Overtime will be paid after 40 hours, down from 42 hours, for all employees. A new Health Care Spending Account for new parttime employees provides $350 for those working 20 to 34 hours per week, and $150 for those at 10 to 19 hours per week, after one year. Improved premiums apply after three days instead of five when relieving higher rated positions, at $1.25 per hour, up from $1, and Department Heads, at $2.25 per hour, up from $2.
of $1 per hour, up from 80 cents. The Safety Boot allowance increases to $125, up from $90, for full-time members yearly and part-time every two years. Bereavement will include one extra day of paid leave if the funeral is more than 240 kilometres away. The Floater Holiday is now paid out after one year of service instead of two years. Vacation entitlement now includes six weeks paid at 12% after 25 years of service. In addition, employees may take up to one week of their vacation starting mid-week, and up to one week as individual days. Union Negotiating Committee: Sam Sellon and Zack Vigneau. Union Rep: Joe Tenn.
New premiums of $1 per hour apply for both intra-department duties and being assigned security tasks. All Department Heads get a premium of $1.50 per hour, up from $1, and Buyers will get a premium
Canadian Linen members have new agreement after interest arbitration Canadian Linen members in Ottawa and Kingston have a new three-year deal following an interest arbitration decision after a difficult set of bargaining. Members receive a wage adjustment of 40 cents per hour effective January 6, 2022 (date of the decision) plus a 3% increase. Wages increase by another 2.5% on June 17, 2022, and by 2% on June 17, 2023. The Committee also achieved Minimum Wage Plus language for the term of the agreement. Employees also receive a $525 lump sum payment. The two-tier wage grid for employees hired after June 17, 2009 well be eliminated as of June 18, 2024. Page 18
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The vision allowance improves up to $300 every 24 months, and eye exam coverage is $120 every 24 months. Dental now covers $2,000 per person and $4,000 per family, and paramedical is up to $500. Breaks improve to 15 minutes instead of 10. Bereavement now includes step-children and step-parents, and vacation entitlement of four weeks now requires 12 years service, down from 14. Additionally, if a steward is not present when any discipline is handed out, it will be considered null and void. Union Negotiating Committee: Jorge Garcia, Stacey Hanson, Charlotte Teepell. Region 3 Director Paul Hardwick; Union Representatives Sean Carroll and Sandra Proulx.
Members at McDonough’s YIG ratify a new agreement McDonough’s YIG members in Ottawa ratified a fiveyear deal on February 7, 2022. Over the agreement term, wage increases will total $1.80 per hour for full-time and $1.55 for part-time at end rate. Special duty premium increases to 75 cents per hour for employees listed in a revised Letter of Understanding. Language improvements include: •
Safety boot allowance increases to $115 annually for full-time, bi-annually for part-time.
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Full-time employees with more than 17 years of service will be entitled to a fifth week of vacation.
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Full-time may request that one week of vacation entitlement begin mid-week for travel purposes.
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National Day for Truth and Reconciliation will replace the Floater Day and be added to the paid Statutory Holidays for full-time
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Medical note reimbursement increases to $25.
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New language clarifies rest periods for part-time.
A new Letter of Understanding addresses Minimum Wage for part-time workers. In the event the Ontario
government increases minimum wage in excess of the negotiated wage increase, the employer agrees to add the differential to those employees who are at top rate or over scale on the date the government makes the increase effective. Union negotiating committee: Franca Johnson and Ariana Mortimer. Union Reps: Shannon Epp and Kim Hunter
TopNotch members in Toronto ratify new deal On March 7, 2022 our members in Toronto at TBM (TopNotch) ratified a three-year agreement. Wages increase by 2.5% in year one, 2.5% in year two, and 4% in year three across all classifications retroactive to date of expiry. New language will ensure a minimum wage gap is maintained for the duration of the agreement. Sick days will improve on March 1, 2023, with the addition of one and then again on March 1, 2024 for a total of two days over the two-year period. Members will also receive an additional personal day on March 1 2024. The safety shoe allowance improves to $125.
Improvements include pandemic language, gender neutrality throughout, doctor notes reimbursed at 100% with receipt, and a new letter of understanding will be added to discuss time limits. The employer will make a contribution to the UFCW training and education fund of $250 in each year of the agreement, pay for 50% of the costs of printing the collective agreement and 50% of meeting rooms for negotiations and conciliation. Union Negotiating Committee: Ferline Robinson. Union Rep: Sabrina Qadir. Page 19
NEGOTIATION UPDATES Markey Family Funeral Homes members ratify 3-year agreement
Members at Wadland Pharmacy in Northern Ontario ratify
On February 10, 2022, members at Markey Family Funeral Homes in Hamilton ratified a deal with 2% wage increases in each year of the contract across all positions, retroactive to the date of expiry.
Wadland Pharmacy members in Sudbury, Muskoka, Timmins and Kirkland Lake ratified a new five-year deal on February 8, 2022. Members achieved long fought-for pension improvements including a new 100% employer-paid RRSP of $400 per year for fulltime members.
Improvements to the dental benefits will see an increase of one cent per hour from $0.50/hour to $0.51/ hour. Language improvements will see gender neutral language reflected throughout the agreement. The Union Negotiating Committee prevented all of the employer’s tabled concessions, including a proposal to be able to move bargaining unit members to other locations, both unionized and not, at will. Union Negotiating Committee: D’Andre Leslie, Jenny Young. HOPE Sector Director Sandra Rogerson and Union Rep: Nabeela Irfan.
Full-time wages go up by 30 cents per hour in years one and two, and 40 cents per hour in years three, four, and five. Part-time at or above the end rate receive 25 cents per hour in years one and two, 30 cents per hour in year three, 35 cents per hour in year four, and 40 cents per hour in year five. Part-time workers in the wage progression will be placed on the minimum wage plus grid, and the end rate will be minimum wage plus $1.80. Part-time at or above end rate receive 25 cents per hour retroactive to date of expiry, and further increases totalling $1.30 per hour over the remaining years in the deal. Employer contributions to the Health and Welfare plan increase in 2024, from 60 cents to 61 cents, and in 2025, to 62 cents per hour, for full-time. Part-time contributions by the employer increase from 50 cents to 51 cents in 2024, and to 52 cents per hour in 2025. Employee contributions stay the same. Union Negotiating Committee: Andrew Preston. Union Reps: John Beaton and Derek Jokhu.
Stoikos Valumart members in Waterloo have a new four-year agreement Members in Waterloo at Stoikos Valumart ratified a new four-year deal on February 1, 2022. Wage increases provide full-time employees with 30 cents per hour in years one through three, and 35 cents per hour in the last year. Part time will see 25 cents per hour added to the end rate and the wage grid will be shortened so that members reach end rate sooner. As of ratification, there will be an RRSP contribution made for full-time members of $225, and $100 for Page 20
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part-time members with three years’ service or more. Language improvements include that the members will now receive two uniforms yearly as per the uniform allowance, there will be some three-hour shifts and entitlement for bereavement will have the requirement to attend the funeral removed. There will be a contribution of $100 to the training and education fund. Union Negotiating Committee: Dan Harrigan. Union Reps: Mike Windley and Steve Springall
MENTAL HEALTH @ WORK 41% of people in Canada reported a decline in their mental health since the onset of the pandemic.1 The pandemic has caused many workers to: •
Feel they are no longer in control of day-to-day tasks;
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Be concerned about co-workers, family or friends;
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Worry about finances;
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Fear getting COVID-19;
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Experience helplessness and loneliness due to isolation;
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Feel socially excluded or judged, and;
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Stress over safety measures at work, the re-opening of the economy, and public health measures.2
Those who experience mental health issues may pull away from their support networks out of shame, or fear that others won’t understand, or because they feel like a burden.3 Connecting someone who is struggling to the right professional help is always best but you can’t force anyone to seek help. So, while it’s important to be supportive and lend an ear when you can, it’s also okay to know your limits and protect your own mental health. Focus on the things you can do; like doing your part to ensure the workplace is a safe space for people to bring their concerns forward and talk about what’s going on without fear of being stigmatized. Canadian Mental Health Association: Summary of Findings, Mental Health Impacts of COVID-19: Round 3. Accessed Mar 7, 2022: https://cmha.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CMHA-UBC-Round-3-Summary-of-Findings-FINAL-EN.pdf (p2) 2 Government of Canada: COVID-19: Taking care of your mental health. Accessed Mar 7, 2022: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/2019-novel-coronavirus-infection/mental-health.html#a9 3 Canadian Mental Health Association: Social Support. Accessed Mar 7, 2022: https://cmha.ca/brochure/social-support/ 1
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. There are resources, such as the Members’ Assistance Program (below) or an Employee Assistance Program through work. You can also find other community supports at 211ontario.ca.
MEMBERS’ ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Get confidential referrals to help you deal with mental health, substance abuse, family conflict, financial worries, and more.
Contact Labour Community Services 416-977-6888 / 1-877-801-7762 ufcw175.com/assistance
Community/Public Resources • Canada Suicide Prevention Line: 1-833-456-4566 | Text 45645 • National Indian Reservation Schools Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419 • Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 • Ontario 211: 211ontario.ca or call 2-1-1
HEALTH & SAFETY
Racial Discrimination and Harassment Every employee has the right to work in an environment that is free from harassment and discrimination. That includes racial discrimination and harassment.
Toxic Work Environment Racism is rooted deeply in systems of power and privilege. Racism might take the form of slurs, jokes, denied promotions, less desirable job duties, physical violence, and more. When racial discrimination and harassment are allowed to persist, it is no longer a safe space for workers who are Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous, and other workers who experience discrimination and harassment based on the colour of their skin and other intersecting identities. This can lead to further discriminatory practices, increased stress and anxiety for those workers, and even physical harm in some cases.
Definitions
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Racial Discrimination is the illegal expression of racism. It includes any action, intentional or not, that has the effect of singling out persons based on their race, and imposing burdens on them and not on others, or withholding or limiting access to benefits available to other members of society, in areas covered by the Ontario Human Rights Code. Race only needs to be one factor in a situation for racial discrimination to have occurred. Racial Harassment is a form of discrimination. It includes comments, jokes, name-calling, display of pictures or behaviour that insults you, offends you or puts you down because of your race and other related grounds.
Reporting Reporting incidents of discrimination and harassment can be difficult but it’s important to speak up. If you experience or witness something, please report it and lean on a trusted co-worker, Steward, or Union Rep through the process. Employers must prepare and review a policy on workplace harassment at least annually. (Occupational Health & Safety Act (OHSA) [section 32.0.1 (b) and (c)]) Government of Ontario: Understand the law on workplace violence and harassment. Accessed on March 1, 2022. https:// www.ontario.ca/page/understand-law-workplace-violence-and-harassment#section-5 2 Ontario Human Rights Commission: Racial Discrimination Brochure. Accessed on March 1, 2022 https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/racial-discrimination-brochure
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Workplace Harassment Policies Regardless of the size of the workplace or the number of workers, the policy should: • Show an employer’s commitment to addressing workplace harassment; • Consider workplace harassment from all sources such as customers, clients, employers, supervisors, workers, strangers and intimate partners; • Outline the roles and responsibilities of the workplace parties in supporting the policy and program; and • Be dated and signed by the highest level of management of the employer or at the workplace as appropriate. The policy should encourage workers to bring forward workplace harassment concerns, whether their own or information about harassment that they have witnessed.1 The program must include information about who workplace harassment reports should be made to if the employer or supervisor is the alleged harasser. The individual could be someone external to the organization. Workers should be able to report harassment to a person who will treat the information as confidentially as possible, and follow up in a timely manner. In a unionized workplace, the collective agreement may also address what information the union is entitled to obtain from the employer and the role of union representatives during an investigation.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Accidents happen, but many can be prevented. Employers, supervisors, workers, unions, and the WSIB all have a vital role to play in workplace injury prevention. Under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA), an employer is obligated to provide a safe work environment free from physical injuries and harassment. But, workers who do the jobs every day might come up with safety solutions that the employers don’t see. A Joint Health and Safety Committee (JHSC) allows employer and worker representatives to work together to develop policies and procedures to improve work health and safety outcomes. If you’re a worker with an idea about how to improve workplace safety, take the idea to your JHSC. Prevention is key and prevention is everyone’s responsibility. Reporting Injuries and Illnesses When you are injured – whether at work or not – make sure you report it as soon as possible to your employer. •
Seek medical attention.
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Complete a Form 6 for any work-related injuries and send that Form to the WSIB.
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Inform your Union Steward and/or Union Rep.
Reporting injuries (or the onset of pain or illness) as soon as possible can help you meet WSIB time limits and avoid unnecessary delays in maintaining income through your treatment and recovery, and/or return to work. Your Union can also assist with appeals for denied injury claims, help guide you through the return-to-work and accommodation processes, and help you understand the income protection options available to you: •
Employment Insurance (EI);
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Short or Long-Term Disability (STD/LTD);
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The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP);
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Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPPD), and;
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WSIB benefits.
ufcw175.com/workerscompensation workerscomp@ufcw175.com 1-800-565-8329
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COMMUNITY Metro members raise more than $43,000 for LLSC through Payroll Deduction Campaign Thank you to all of our Members who took part in the 2021 Metro Payroll Deduction fundraising campaign for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC). The campaign ran throughout all Metro and Barn stores across Ontario where the members are represented by UFCW Locals 175 & 633. Despite last year being another tough one for frontline workers, the generosity of our members brought in an incredible $43,807. As part of the campaign, the Local Union was happy to award prizes for the stores that had the best results! Plus, participating members in those stores got a chance to win more raffles prizes, too. Congratulations to the winning stores! •
Store #425 in Brampton (stores up to 99 members)
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Store #205 in Whitby (stores with 100 - 149 members)
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Stores #26 in Stouffville (stores with 150+ members)
Thank you again to all who participated. Your weekly donations are going to save lives through research and treatments for those with blood cancers. To learn more about what the LLSC does with your donations, visit bloodcancers.ca. Find more photos on Facebook or Instagram.
Food Bank donations Thanks to the generosity and support of our amazing members, at the end of last year, the Local Union Executive Board donated almost $100,000 to food banks and supportive services across Ontario. Over the course of the pandemic, more Ontarians turned to Food Banks to help them survive as the people in this province continue to faces underfunded social programs, rising food prices, unaffordable housing, and a minimum wage that doesn’t cover basic necessities. Food Banks are incredible organizations, that often do far more than just provide food, and which are staffed with even more amazing volunteers, but Food Banks are not a permanent solution to food insecurity. In November 2021, Feed Ontario released its Hunger Report1 containing dire statistics on Food Bank use in the province: •
592,308 adults and children accessed a food bank in Ontario between April 1st, 2020, to March 31st, 2021 – an increase of 10% over the last year and the largest single-year increase since 2009.
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Throughout that same year, Ontario’s food banks were visited more than 3.6 million times, an increase of 12% over the previous year.
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The proportion of senior citizens accessing a food bank in Ontario has grown by 36% over the previous year, and 64% since 2008. Senior citizens are nearly twice as likely to access a food bank compared to adults under 65 years of age.
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59% of food bank visitors cite social assistance as their primary source of income.
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A 44% increase in the number of people with employment accessing food banks for support in the four years leading up to the pandemic.
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86% of food bank visitors are rental or social housing tenants with over 50% of food bank visitors citing the inability to adequately pay for housing and utilities costs as the primary reason for food bank usage.
¹Feed Ontario: Hunger Report 2021. https://feedontario.ca/research/hunger-report-2021/#keyhighlights Accessed on Mar 14, 2022.
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OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Thank you to everyone who sent in nominations and to all the nominees for the service and care you provide to your Union, your co-workers, your communities, and beyond. You are all Outstanding Members of the Union. The 2022 Nominations will be open from August 1 to November 1, 2022. Visit ufcw175.com/scholarships-awards for details.
Miriam Vargas
Karen Vaughan
Achieving Improvements in Workplace Health & Safety or Workers Compensation
Manifesting Leadership & Advancement of the UFCW
Miriam works at Maple Lodge Foods in Brampton. In 2015, Miriam was injured at work and she filed a WSIB claim but was denied. She is still in the appeals process for that claim. After the injury, Miriam realized how easily injuries could happen to other members.
Karen is a nurse who works at Maplewood Nursing Home in Brighton. She has been a steward for many years and is the Recorder for Local 175.
She joined the Health & Safety committee to make a difference and fix the problem she encountered that caused her injury. While it still took until 2020 for her concerns to be heard, understood and ultimately implemented, if it weren’t for Miriam fighting, it’s unlikely these changes would have been made at all.
She is a tireless advocate for the Union, a vocal supporter of all healthcare workers, and a proponent for many much needed reforms to our healthcare system. Karen never shies away from an opportunity to promote the Union. She is often asked to speak on behalf of Unionized workers at a press conference or rally and is always fighting to improve working conditions for all workers.
Miriam remains a strong advocate for her co-workers. She helps them fill in Form 6s, stays in touch with the Union Rep, and contacts the Union’s Workers’ Compensation department when needed.
Karen is very involved in Health and Safety and has instructed on behalf of the Local many times. She is a consistent advocate for her co-workers, and a dedicated caregiver for the residents at Maplewood.
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Congratulations to the 2021 Outstanding Member Achievement Award winners!
Antonella Rizzo
Tyler Colwell
Demonstrating Outstanding Contributions to the Community
Fundraising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada
Antonella is a member of Local 175 who works at Zehrs in Niagara Falls. For more than 16 years, Antonella has been a shining star in both her workplace and the community.
Tyler works at Metro Cumberland in Ottawa where, throughout his years there, he has been a great supporter of the Local Union’s fundraising efforts to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Canada (LLSC).
She is a tireless advocate for raising money and helping those in need of assistance in her community. Antonella has facilitated numerous charity fundraising events of every kind to support several local charities. Even throughout the pandemic, Antonella has continued her dedication to charity and community work. She is a constant inspiration to her friends and colleagues and well deserving of an award that recognizes her contributions.
No matter the event, Tyler always makes himself available, even on his days off, to help out in any way to raise money for blood cancer research. He hopes to run is own fundraising campaign when the COVID situation allows and it’s easier and safer to do so. Tyler’s dedication, along with the contributions and work of many Locals 175 & 633 members, consistently help the Union raise hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to support the LLSC. Page 27
Solidarity Scholarships 88 scholarships available of $1,000 each Whether you’re going into your first year or heading back after some time in the workforce, if you’re going to college or university full-time this fall, apply for a Solidarity Scholarship!
APPLY ONLINE APRIL 1 – AUGUST 1
UFCW175.COM/SCHOLARSHIPS or call 1-800-565-8329
MYUNION.CA
Return postage will be paid by: United Food and Commercial Workers Locals 175 & 633 2200 Argentia Road Mississauga ON L5N 2K7
Canada Post Corporation Publication Agreement No. 40064671
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