Saint-Henri-de-Lévis, Que. – September 15, 2016 – UFCW Canada Local 501 members working at Olymel in Saint-Henri-de-Lévis have overwhelmingly ratified a new collective agreement.

The new contract features wage increases of $0.40 per hour in year one and $0.30 per hour in the following years for members classified as labourers. Employees classified as mechanics will receive increases of $0.70 per hour in year one, $0.60 per hour in year two and $0.30 per hour for the remainder of the contract term. Members will also receive a $75 signing bonus for every full year of service.

In addition, the bargaining committee was able to shorten the qualifying period for a fifth and sixth week of vacation, with a possibility of seven weeks for workers with 35 years of service. The new contract also provides for more flexible vacation times during the holiday season and enhanced bereavement leave as well an increase to the number of workers on reduced work weeks from nine to 20.

"Thanks to the determination of the membership, we have negotiated an agreement that will allow us to maintain competitive working conditions in the food processing sector," said UFCW Canada Local 501 President Alain Lachaîne. "As a result of the extraordinary efforts of the bargaining committee, we were able to find practical solutions to many problems raised by the members without losing any ground."