Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. – January 31, 2017 – UFCW Canada 1991P members working at Bio Biscuit in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec have achieved a first collective agreement. The bargaining unit was certified after a successful April 2016 organizing drive. The first contract is retroactive to December 17, 2016.

The agreement includes monetary and working condition improvements for members working in general operations, as process operators, and as lift truck operators. Bio Biscuit is a manufacturer of dry food and biscuits for dogs and cats.

Monetary improvements include:

• A new five-year wage scale that includes an annual increase of 2 percent to 6 percent, depending on the employee's classification;

• Wage increases for senior employees of 1.25 percent on December 18, 2016, 1.4 percent on December 18, 2017, and 1.5 percent on December 18, 2018;

• A lump sum payment for employees who are off the wage scale;

• An additional statutory holiday for employees with over five years of seniority;

• A Holiday Season bonus of between $50 and $100, depending on seniority;

• A $25 increase in the allowance for the purchase of safety footwear; and

• An additional vacation week for employees with over twenty years of seniority.

Non-monetary improvements include:

• A decrease in the probationary period from six months to 90 days;

• The addition of a fair mechanism for the distribution of overtime;

• Mandatory contributions to the FTQ Solidarity Fund; and

• A new set of clear rules on staff movement and on the right to return to one’s former occupation.

‘‘This new union contract provides members with a strong voice and good working conditions," says UFCW Canada Local 1991P President Mario Maisonneuve.