TENTATIVE AGREEMENT

HAS BEEN REACHED

 

February 1, 2007

 

 

After a long and difficult struggle, your Bargaining Committee is unanimously recommending acceptance of the “Final Offer of Settlement”.

 

Our membership has remained united throughout this journey and has to be commended for staying strong.  This allowed your bargaining committee to remain strong and firm on the main issues that our membership wanted addressed. The Company made their initial offer Thursday January 25th, they expected your Bargaining Committee to drop all the remaining proposals and when we made a counter proposal they withdrew their offer.

The Company made no effort to talk to the Bargaining Committee over the next five days. The Company thought the membership would turn on the Committee and force us to accept their offer, it didn’t happen. The membership supported us and in the end, we were able to make gains and many improvements over their initial offer in areas of contract language, benefits and other economics.

 

ECONOMICS

 

Wages and monies

 

  • $8,000 Continuity Allowance (equivalent to $1.33/hour over life of agreement)
  • Wage increase of $.60 / $.20 / $.20
  • $.31 cent COLA rolled in wages. COLA rolled in wages yearly
  • ESP plan maintained
  • Call out premium time can be banked
  • Letter on voluntary overtime (hours of work)
  • $0.04 for the educational fund

 

Pensions and Benefits

 

  • 30 and out with $3,300/month pension
  • Basic increased to $56
  • No loss of “credited service or seniority” for the period of the past strike
  • Credited service for lost time from previous layoffs (made whole during life of this Collective Agreement)
  • Pension indexing to be covered
  • Increase in S&A to $625
  • Group life insurance to $45000.00
  • AD&D to $45000.00
  • LTD to $1400.00
  • Hearing plan to $600
  • PSA every 12 months
  • Vision Care to include eye exam
  • Benefit letter on drugs not in formulary
    • Viagra now covered  (for medical reasons)
  • Disability Management Letter on Principles
  • One time retiree/surviving spouses payment ($500.00)
  • Dental ODA Fee schedule maintained at a one year lag
  • Orthotics Coverage letter

 

NON-ECONOMICS

 

Grievances

 

  • All grievances have been resolved

 

Skilled trades issues

 

  • Trades rates to be reviewed
  • Letter of disaster relief for skilled trades
  • Opportunity to get into an Apprentiship program to be given to our members

 

Posting Issues

 

  • Retransfer 1st in the job posting process
  • Employees moved during 2006 automatically on the retransfer list
  • All permanent jobs for Nickel Rim South will be posted business unit wide
  • Timeline of employee’s move to Nickel Rim South letter
  • Posting to be on bulletin board for 10 days
  • 20% of all permanent mine postings will be posted Business Unit wide
  • Mine Production Training by seniority

 

Vacation issues

 

·        Employee will be able to use Statuary Holiday to cover A/V

·        Employee on the 4X4 shifts to be able to use only 40 hours instead of 42

·        Supervisor given flexibility in assigning holidays

 

JHSC issues

 

·        Extra time for co-chairs of 2 shifts per month

·        JHSC letter on Operation meeting for all Committee Co-Chairs

·        Smelter Hygiene JHSC letter on designated substances

·        Commitment on diesel emission reduction

 

Other Issues

 

·        Chief Steward training on EAP and Anti Harassment

·        Chief Steward to attend all contracting out quarterly meetings as per letter 4

·        O.T list to be posted

·        Commitment that maintenance work at the XPS (FTC) to the Smelter

·        Replacement of Unit chair during last month of contract.

·        Miner Apprentice program

·        3 year deal

 

 

 

 

The Bargaining Committee would like to thank our members, the Retirees Chapter of our Local, the community, our CAW sister locals, the brothers and sisters from the other Unions for their support during these negotiations.

 

Without the tremendous support brought forward by these groups, this settlement would not have been achieved.

 

 

In Solidarity,

Your Bargaining Committee:

 

Richard Paquin                                                 Hemi Mitic

Rick Grylls                                                                   Tom Dattilo                             

Jan Romo                                                                     Gord Lamothe

Rejean Berthiaume                                                        Jeff Mullally

Brian Castilloux                                                            Jack McGrath