New agreement averts strike on campus
Union bargaining committee members
UNBC’s cafeteria workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 40 have unanimously ratified a new agreement with the university’s food provider, Compass Group. Narrowly averting a strike, the new agreement ends the prolonged labour dispute at the university and addresses workers’ longstanding concerns over pay and job security.
Workers at UNBC’s Agora Dining Hall and Tim Hortons will receive raises of $2/hour at minimum, additional bonus pay, while entry-level wages for new workers will increase substantially to better meet the cost of living in Prince George. The agreement establishes a new pension benefit for workers, significantly improves medical benefits and enshrines stronger anti-harassment and anti-discrimination standards to protect the rights of members engaged in union activity. Cafeteria workers also achieved a path to job security with the new agreement.
“We are very pleased that these issues could be resolved. We feel this agreement addresses our concerns and allows us to continue providing service to the students who rely on us,” said Jeannie Gilbert, a cook at UNBC’s Agora Dining Hall.
The workers have engaged in numerous job actions since the contract expired in April 2017. After a year of little progress in bargaining, the workers issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this month. Workers have received an outpouring of support from faculty, students, labour and community allies who petitioned the university and participated in demonstrations and other actions.
“We want to acknowledge the support we received from the university community, including students, staff and faculty. Without their support, we may not have been able to avoid a strike,” said Melody Danchuk, a long-term cafeteria worker and member of the union bargaining committee.
For more information, please contact: Octavian Cadabeschi, (604) 813-2105, [email protected]
UNBC Cafeteria Workers Ratify New Contract
New agreement averts strike on campus
Union bargaining committee members
UNBC’s cafeteria workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 40 have unanimously ratified a new agreement with the university’s food provider, Compass Group. Narrowly averting a strike, the new agreement ends the prolonged labour dispute at the university and addresses workers’ longstanding concerns over pay and job security.
Workers at UNBC’s Agora Dining Hall and Tim Hortons will receive raises of $2/hour at minimum, additional bonus pay, while entry-level wages for new workers will increase substantially to better meet the cost of living in Prince George. The agreement establishes a new pension benefit for workers, significantly improves medical benefits and enshrines stronger anti-harassment and anti-discrimination standards to protect the rights of members engaged in union activity. Cafeteria workers also achieved a path to job security with the new agreement.
“We are very pleased that these issues could be resolved. We feel this agreement addresses our concerns and allows us to continue providing service to the students who rely on us,” said Jeannie Gilbert, a cook at UNBC’s Agora Dining Hall.
The workers have engaged in numerous job actions since the contract expired in April 2017. After a year of little progress in bargaining, the workers issued a 72-hour strike notice earlier this month. Workers have received an outpouring of support from faculty, students, labour and community allies who petitioned the university and participated in demonstrations and other actions.
“We want to acknowledge the support we received from the university community, including students, staff and faculty. Without their support, we may not have been able to avoid a strike,” said Melody Danchuk, a long-term cafeteria worker and member of the union bargaining committee.
For more information, please contact: Octavian Cadabeschi, (604) 813-2105, [email protected]
UNITE HERE! Local 40 issues 72 hour strike notice at UNBC!
Prince George – UNITE HERE! Local 40 members who serve food at UNBC have issued a 72 hour strike notice. The union represents workers at UNBC’s Agora Dining Hall and at Tim Hortons.
The workers are employees of Chartwells, UNBC’s food service contractor. The union and the contractor have been engaged in contract negotiations for over a year. Many of the workers earn low wages and have poor benefits – issues that must be resolved in order to avoid a strike. Additionally, workers lack even basic job security in case the university changes food service contractors. Cafeteria workers are committed to transforming food service jobs at UNBC into stable, living wage jobs. The next round of bargaining is scheduled for Tuesday, October 9.
Check back here for updates on a possible strike.
YVR: First Class Airport, Second Class Jobs
Workers behind the concession counters at Vancouver International Airport (YVR) help make this North America’s #1 airport. Workers take pride in welcoming the world to Vancouver while serving travelers a cup of coffee or a warm meal on the way to their destination.
While workers love working at YVR, too many of them are earning at, or slightly above, minimum wage, with few benefits. The work is precarious. Turnover is high and staffing is a challenge. Many workers at YVR work two, sometimes three, jobs to make ends meet. Worse, years of contract flipping has created a low-road for airport concession workers. When concession leases expire, workers stand to lose higher wages and benefits they earned during their years of service. Workers are told to reapply for work and to start over at minimum wage.
We believe YVR could become a truly sustainable community partner by adopting policies that have a positive impact on its contracted workforce. Major competing airports across the western seaboard, like SEA-TAC, SFO, LAX among others, are paying living wages to airport concession workers and have worker retention and labour peace policies that ensure a smooth transition when operators change.
We want YVR to adopt responsible contracting policies and become #1 when it comes to ensuring airport concession workers have sustainable, decent jobs.
If you agree, visit us on Facebook and “Like” our page! Or, if you are on Twitter, tweet a message to YVR: “Concession workers @yvrairport need first class jobs!”
BC Premier John Horgan visits HMSHost workers at YVR!
Local 40’s airport members made history this month! For the first time ever, the sitting BC Premier met with HMS Host workers at YVR on Thursday, June 14. Premier John Horgan heard compelling stories from our members who discussed how YVR Airport squeezes contracted workers by keeping wages low, flipping contractors, and discouraging union organizing.
We told the Premier we need YVR to commit to a $15 airport minimum wage policy now, a worker retention policy for all YVR workers, and respect for workers’ rights to form a union at YVR.
For nearly an hour, our members swapped stories with the Premier about the challenges of living in Vancouver on low wages, juggling multiple jobs, and their concerns for their future. The Premier discussed how the Province is tackling the challenge of affordability in BC and other efforts underway to make life better for British Columbians.
We look forward to working with Premier Horgan and other leaders in our community to press for change and a better future at YVR!
(Photographer: Peter Holst)
Other news:
Local 40 members and allies visit the office of YVR’s CEO, go to: https://bit.ly/2lsw7cX
Local 40 Organizing Internships & Training Opportunities
Local 40 is building a progressive alliance of workers, students and community activists by training, agitating, and inspiring people to fight for justice. We place a lot of emphasis on training and fieldwork. People learn by doing, whether it’s hearing about the real situations of working people in a house visit, doing research on a corporation, speaking truth to power on a delegation, or recruiting friends, family, or coworkers to an action. UNITE HERE is committed to inspiring people of all ages and backgrounds to join our movement.
Leadership Development Training
Learn from skilled organizers, researchers, and rank and file leaders who have committed themselves to developing their own leadership and yours.
Join us and be inspired by people like you who are rising to take up the struggle for economic and social justice!
To learn more, please contact Mike Biskar: [email protected].