Employees at Winnipeg’s Westburne Electric Supply secure higher wages

New deal done despite April 2019 expiry: UFCW

United Food and Commercial Workers union (UFCW) Canada, Local 832 members working at Westburne Electric Supply in Winnipeg ratified a new five-year collective agreement on Jan. 15 that provides better wages, a signing bonus and more.

Westburne Electric Supply offers energy solutions, renewables, lighting, wire and cable, automation and connected network solutions. Approximately 25 UFCW 832 members work at the company’s plant in Winnipeg, said the union.

Even though the current collective agreement does not expire until April 2019, the company came to the bargaining table eager to get a deal done as soon as possible. Westburne plans to invest millions of dollars into its Winnipeg operations and was seeking the stability that comes with a new contract, said UFCW.

With this in mind, the union negotiating committee strengthened the collective agreement language regarding bargaining-unit work, increased the boot allowance and obtained wage increases totaling 13.75 per cent over the life of the contract. The members will also receive a $600 signing bonus in May 2019, said the union.

UFCW Canada Local 832 is Manitoba’s largest private sector union, representing over 18,000 members in a variety of industries, including the retail food, health care, food processing, security, industrial, textile and transportations sectors.

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