Edmonton – November 29, 2016 – UFCW Canada Local 1118 members working at the Lilydale hatchery in Edmonton, Alberta have ratified a new collective agreement.

The Lilydale members service Sofina Foods’ agricultural partners and are an integral part of Alberta's poultry industry. Sofina Foods is the parent company of Lilydale.

Highlights of the new four-year agreement include:

• Across-the-board wage increases of $0.40 in each year of the collective agreement, retroactive to February 2016;

• A new shift premium for afternoon and night shift workers;

• New language on clothing and a safety footwear allowance;

• Improvements to working conditions for truck drivers, including paid rest time and route preference by seniority;

• Improvements to dental and vision care benefits;

• Improvements to the RRSP matching provision;

• Strengthened seniority provisions governing work assignments; and

• Improved language on the use of sick leave and doctor's notes.

“We are very proud of the level of engagement that the members demonstrated towards the bargaining process throughout negotiations,” says UFCW Canada Local 1118 Director Michael Hughes. “We came out of this process with a better collective agreement for the 1118 members, and a strong foundation to build on for future negotiations,” he adds.