Workers at Agropur Lucerne Foods in Edmonton achieve new contract

Meal allowance, higher boot allowance highlight deal

United Food and Commercial Workers Canada (UFCW) Local 401 members working at the Agropur Lucerne Foods plant in Edmonton ratified a new five-year collective agreement July 19.

The new contract features improved seniority protections, new union member orientation language, enhanced vacation language and improvements to the grievance, arbitration, and union representation provisions, said the union.

Monetary highlights include increased paid meal allowance, increased boot allowance, paid time off at the time of child birth, massage and physiotherapy benefits, increased dental contributions and improved reimbursements for medical forms, according to UFCW.

Members will also see an average wage increase of $2.50 per hour over the contract's duration, with retroactive pay. Depending on where members are currently located on the wage scale, some may see wage increases of as much as $6 per hour over the contract term, said the union.

The plant processes raw milk into pasteurized milk, creamers, yogurt, sour cream, and other dairy products that are distributed across Canada and the United States. Members work as receivers, palletizers, shippers, operators, janitors, pasteurizers, engineers, and lab technicians at the Edmonton-based plant.

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