Workers to receive annual payments ranging from $4,000 to $13,000: IAM
A letter of understanding regarding the maintenance-retention program was the key to ratifying a new collective agreement between the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Local 2247 and Keewatin Air in Winnipeg on May 7.
“Keeping qualified people on staff can be difficult in this competitive environment and this letter of understanding reflects that,” said Glenn Tomchak, IAM District Lodge 181 directing business representative. “This along with a healthy wage increase in the first year of the agreement has made our members very happy.”
The three-year agreement provides a wage increase of $4 per hour retroactive to Jan. 4. Wage increases in the second and third year amount to 2.5 per cent respectively, said the union.
The maintenance-retention program letter of understanding provides annual lump-sum payments ranging from $4,000 to $13,000, after 15 years of service, said IAM.
Other agreement highlights include a night-shift premium increase by $0.50 per hour, a crew-chief premium increase to $1.50 per hour, an increased footwear allowance, one additional sick day, per diems increase by $2.50 per day and the call-out duty penalty increased to four hours, said the union.
The 24 employees include mechanics, stores and quality assurance personnel.
Keewaitin Air — which owned by Exchange Income Corporation and includes Perimeter Aviation, also in Winipeg — provides emergency air ambulance service and it transports more than 1,500 patients and flies more than 2.3 million medevac miles annually from bases in Winnipeg and Churchill, Manitoba, Rankin Inlet and Iqaluit, Nunavut.
