Montreal – January 26, 2015 – UFCW Canada Local 500 members working at Maxi Mascouche have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new collective bargaining agreement. The new contract is retroactive to March 12, 2014 and runs until 2018. Workers at the Maxi Mascouche grocery store have been UFCW Canada Local 500 members since 1994.

The new contract contains several provisions that will greatly benefit members, including:

• Employees who work at least four hours during the same work week in a capacity that is above their classification shall receive a $0.60 premium per hour worked;

• A $0.95 per hour premium shall be paid to night shift employees;

• Access to vacation is improved; employees shall be entitled to two vacation weeks after working for a year, but less than four years (as opposed to five), and to three vacation weeks after working for four years, but less than eight years (as opposed to ten);

• The number of hours paid for occasional days is now 56, while the new agreement is in effect;

• Subscription to the dental plan for UFCW Canada members in Quebec is maintained, and it shall also be possible to increase the contribution to $0.19 per hour worked in order to maintain the current dental plan’s schedule;

• Employees with at least 600 hours worked at the top salary wage will have their wages increased by 2.5% retroactively to March 12, 2014;

• Employees who are not in the top salary wage, will have wages increased by 1%, retroactively to March 12, 2014, in addition to a 1.5% lump sum;

• Employees may now work on a shorter work week.

"I would like to congratulate everyone, especially shop stewards Annie Longpré and Xavier Gascon Morin, who both sat on the bargaining committee," says UFCW Canada Local 500 President Antonio Filato. "Your efforts and achievements in these negotiations show how committed you are to your co-workers, and to collectively improving your working conditions."