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MONTREAL - Unifor members working for the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation (SLSMC) have ratified the tentative agreements reached with their employer on September 16, following several months of negotiations.
“The skills, experience and level of responsibility of our members must be reflected in their working conditions,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “These agreements mark important progress in that regard, with solid wage gains and the protection of existing rights. This is a strong result that our members fully earned.”
The agreement covering maintenance and operations employees was ratified by 78 %, while the agreement covering engineers and supervisors received the support of 80 % of members.
The new collective agreements cover approximately 320 Unifor members across the two groups. These workers, represented by Unifor Locals 4320 and 4319 in Quebec and Locals 4212, 4323 and 4211 in Ontario, play an essential role in the safe and efficient operation of the Seaway, which enables vessels to travel between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean.
The new four-year collective agreements provide total wage increases of 13% and were reached with no concessions from members.
“Our members showed tremendous determination over the past several months,” said Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier. “These ratifications confirm the quality of the work carried out by the bargaining committees, whose tenacity and discipline helped secure agreements that reflect the priorities expressed by their members.”
