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Ste-Claire, July 17, 2018 - Unifor members of Local 9114 working at the Prévost plant (a division of Volvo Canada) in Ste-Claire voted 73 per cent in favour of the tentative agreement presented by their bargaining committee at a special meeting held on Sunday.
The main non-monetary improvements were made in the area of early retirement. Older members had been calling for access to this type of benefit for years, but the bus assembly line did not really lend itself to early retirement.
“By creating positions reserved exclusively for employees in early retirement and allowing employees aged 57 and over to make themselves available for temporary replacements, access to early retirement will be greatly improved for all employees,” explained Unifor national representative François Gignac.
For employees nearing retirement, the collective agreement also makes provision for the organization by the union and the employer of an annual weekend-long workshop to help employees prepare for retirement.
Under the new deal, workers will also obtain a salary increase of 2.85 percent retroactive to July 1st, followed by an increase of 2.75 per cent in 2019, and 2.25 per cent in 2020. The three-year collective agreement will expire on June 30, 2020.
Other monetary provisions include the automatic acquisition of a personal leave day, adjustments to the group insurance plan as of the third year of the employment contract and an increase in the employer contribution to the pension plan. These provisions, along with the negotiated salary increases, clinched the deal for the bargaining committee, which recommended it to members.
Prévost is the largest manufacturer of buses and luxury motorhomes in Canada. The company is located in Ste-Claire and has 750 unionized members who are represented by Unifor Local 9114.
For an update on Unifor Local 1044’s collective agreement at Prévost, click here.
