Deal includes strengthened job security, wage hikes: Unifor
Rogers Media employees at The Shopping Channel in Mississauga, Ont., accepted a new four-year collective agreement on Oct. 11 that includes wage increases, upgrades, improved benefits and job security.
“The bargaining team has done a fantastic job at achieving gains not usually seen in the current broadcast climate,” said Jake Moore, Unifor, Local 79-M president. “While this deal has significant gains in most areas, it’s clear there’s more work to be done in regards to scheduling,”
Local 79-M represents 90 employees in broadcasting operations who will see annual wage increases beginning in June 2018 of 1.5, two, two and 2.5 per cent, said Unifor.
Showroom clerks, studio camera operators, photographers, general operators and technical directors, who make up 50 per cent of the bargaining unit, will also earn special upgrades, said the union.
Job security was important to members and this new agreement includes language that clarifies that layoff, while bumping and recall goes by seniority with no management discretion. Other gains include doubling severance pay to two weeks per year of service, capped at 52 weeks, improved contracting-out language and new jurisdictional language prohibiting non-union personnel from performing union work, said Unifor.
Regular part-time and casual workers, who average 20 hours weekly, will be eligible for benefits and night-shift and day-off work premiums are improved, said the union.
The employer has also agreed to contribute to Unifor’s paid education leave, phased in over four years until it reaches three cents per hour, per worker, according to Unifor.
