Agreement includes lump sum payment up to $1,500: Union
United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW) Canada, Local 1518 members working at PriceSmart Foods stores in Richmond and Burnaby, B.C. overwhelmingly ratified a new collective agreement March 7, which brings wage increases, according to the union.
The new contract will see hourly wages of food clerks jump from $11 to $12.20, with the start rate rising to $12 per hour. In addition to the immediate wage hike, food clerks who were previously capped at a wage less than $12 per hour, now have access to a wage ladder that progresses to $20 per hour, said the union.
Workers will now also be eligible for the medical services plan, dental and extended health benefits, as well as a lump sum payment of up to $1,500, according to UFCW.
The new contract also contains anti-bullying language in order to facilitate a proactive approach to preventing workplace harassment. The vacation entitlement, which had been capped at three weeks, will now increase to five weeks, said the union.
