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The union representing Dominion’s workers says Friday night was a disappointing end to a 12-week strike after members signed a new collective agreement with parent company Loblaw Companies Ltd.
Chris MacDonald, assistant to Unifor national president Jerry Dias, led the negotiations on behalf of the union and said workers reluctantly accepted Loblaw’s offer.
“Our members are feeling disappointed. This is not the deal they wanted and this is not why they went on strike,” MacDonald told CBC News on Saturday.
“Eventually, they had an employer who refused to move and gave them a final offer, essentially threatening many more months back on the picket line, without moving their offer.”
About 1,400 workers went on strike in late August demanding more full-time jobs and a wage increase, after Loblaw ended a $ 2-hour hike for essential workers implemented during the first part of the COVID-pandemic. 19.
Eventually, the ratified deal was similar to Loblaw’s pre-strike offer, but an extra year was added, bringing the total wage increase to $ 1.35 an hour over four years.
“There have been some small improvements in the deal and some things that will help our members, but in the end the employer refused to bargain and that’s where we landed,” MacDonald said.
The union’s bargaining committee saw no way to go, MacDonald said, after receiving news from provincial broker Wayne Fowler that Loblaw didn’t care if the offer was accepted on Friday or six months from then.
“Eventually, the members decided they were ready to go back to work,” he said.
But members have moved forward in their demand for more full-time jobs.
In total, 22 jobs will be added, with full-time workers who were affected last year having the first chance to apply for the new roles once they are filled. As workers fill a new full-time position, another full-time position will be posted to ensure a net increase of 22 new full-time roles.
MacDonald said the company is also required to retain a minimum of 20% full-time employees, but added that still isn’t enough.
“Right now, the level of employment is around 16% full-time. So they’ll have to add some full-time jobs and not drop below 20%,” he said. “This is a significant stop gap that we have inserted to protect the further erosion of full-time jobs.”
“There are some improvements in the deal that the workers can expect, but in the end the taste in the mouth right now is a bit sour and the things we didn’t get are highlighted more than we did.”
MacDonald said some members returned to work on Saturday, while others are waiting for their schedules to be released. He said the stores should be up and running again by the end of next week.
Mark Boudreau, director of corporate affairs at Loblaw Atlantic, told CBC News Saturday that the company is not doing interviews, but has released a statement.
“We look forward to bringing our colleagues and customers back to the stores. We have struck a fair balance, with an agreement that includes details that are important to our people and the success of our business,” the statement read.
“Our goal is to open stores by the end of next week.”
Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador
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