North Bay, Ont. – August 1, 2017 – UFCW Canada Local 175 members working at the Best Western North Bay Hotel & Conference Centre have unanimously voted in favour of a new collective agreement.

The new three-year deal provides wage increases of two percent per year across all job categories and a $50 signing bonus for all part-time workers in the form of a gift card. Wage increases will also be paid retroactively to the date of the previous contract’s expiration.

Other improvements include a reduction in the amount of time it takes to receive five weeks of vacation, from 17 years down to 15 years. As well, full-time workers with 15 years of service are now entitled to two floating holidays per year.

Bereavement language has been expanded to include aunts, uncles, and brother and sister-in-laws. The contract also provides an increase in the boot allowance to $200 for full-time workers and $100 for part-time workers. As well, the employer's contribution to the UFCW Locals 175 & 633 Training and Education Fund will increase from $1,000 a year to $1,250 a year. Language improvements were also achieved in the discipline clauses.

Located on the shores of Lake Nipissing, the Best Western North Bay Hotel & Conference Centre is the largest hotel and meeting centre in the Northern Ontario city.

The negotiating committee for this contract included UFCW Canada Local 175 members Jana Jordan, Glen Talbot, Sarah Stevenson, Union Representative Derek Jokhu, and Local 175 Director Sandra Rogerson.