BRANDON — Workers at Maple Leaf Foods in Brandon have ratified a new seven-year collective bargaining agreement that will result in higher wages, shift premiums and other improved financial supports.
The staff members, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers 832, voted 61 per cent in favour of the deal, lead negotiator Jeff Traeger said.
“We bargained all through July, all the way through till January. On Jan. 7, the union reached a tentative agreement with the employer and, on Sunday, members at Maple Leaf ratified the contract,” he said.
The wage across all job categories will see an average jump of 23 per cent and shift premiums will rise by 30 per cent, a union news release noted Monday.
A $300,000 fund has been allocated to reassess and reclassify certain roles into higher-paying categories, the statement said.
The agreement also provides greater flexibility for using banked overtime and secures increased company contributions to benefits, dental plans and pensions.
The company is pleased with the ratification of the deal, and employees are happy with the wage increases, Traeger said.
Many of the workers are having trouble making ends meet because of the affordability crisis, including rising property taxes, grocery and gas prices in Brandon, he said.
The restructuring of Maple Leaf’s operations will bring additional challenges, he noted.
“The company is going to be splitting up their operations, so Maple Leaf will effectively only be doing processed meats, and the new company in Brandon will be called Canada Packers, focusing on raw materials,” he said.
The union’s contract will not be impacted by the creation of Canada Packers, Traeger said, citing successor rights under Manitoba’s labour law.
“When the new company takes over, they will be bound by that collective agreement.”
The Brandon plant employs 2,000 workers who process hogs to produce pork products for Canadian and international markets.
— Brandon Sun