Sobeys workers in Whitby negotiate huge wage hikes
Published January 28, 2022 at 9:10 am
Sobeys warehouse workers have negotiated massive wage increases, improved pensions and wage parity for part-time workers in a new four-year collective agreement.
The 500-plus unionized workers at the Sobeys Distribution Centre in Whitby will receive “significant pay hikes” over the life of the agreement, said Unifor President Jerry Dias. “Contract negotiations at Sobeys, and the Loblaw warehouse agreement obtained late last year, not only improve compensation and conditions for our Unifor members but also help to raise the standard for other essential workers across the warehouse sector.”
The new collective agreement, which expires February 28, 2026, applies to all Unifor Local 1090 members at the distribution centre. The contract was ratified January 27 with 84 per cent of voting members in favour.
Highlights of the four-year agreement include:
- Full-time pay – Employees with 8,000+ hours of service receive immediate increase of $2.74 (11.3 per cent) with 19.5 per cent total wage growth over the term of the agreement
- Part-time pay – Wages to increase $7 – $14 per hour over the term of the agreement
- Wage parity for part-time workers – Employees with less than 2,000 hours will see immediate $7 per hour increase and will now earn the same hourly rate as full-time counterparts
- Immediate start rate increases – $3.10 per hour for full-time and $7.00 per hour for part-time
- Signing bonuses – $1,000 to $2,000 for members with 2,000+ hours of service
- RRSP matching – Company RRSP contribution to double from 2.5% to 5% over life of agreement
- Vacation – Creation of a sixth week of vacation at 26-years seniority
- Improved Health & Safety
- Enhanced bereavement leave
“As the voice of the workers, the bargaining committee brought the key issues identified by the membership to the table,” said Pat Twohey, Unifor Local 1090 Bargaining Chair, who added there were “no concessions.”
“We were able to deliver a strong contract that includes a considerable pay boost for existing workers as well as future hires while also levelling the playing field for our part-time members.”
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Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector and represents 315,000 workers in every major area of the economy.
Sobeys is owned by Empire Co. Ltd.
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