Shoppers Drug Mart #222 Members (Vancouver) vote to accept new contract

UFCW 1518 members from Shoppers Drug Mart #222 on Fraser Street in Vancouver voted December 9 in favour of accepting the terms for a new contract with the employer. The final settlement was reached with the involvement of the B.C. Labour Relations Board, which included a mediator’s recommendations for settlement endorsed by both negotiating committees.

“The settlement did not come easily,” said Ivan Limpright, President of UFCW 1518. "but this is a good contract," said Limpright, "and has wages, benefits, and working conditions that show workers at non-union drugstores what’s possible whey they join the union."

Highlights of the contract include:

- Wage increases over the 3 year term of $1.53/hr for top rate Clerks, and increases of $2.13/hr for top rate Pharmacy Techs ;

- $250.00 signing bonus for members who work 32 hours per week or more ($125.00 for members who work less)

- Improved Health and Safety contract language;

- Improved Leave of Absence contract language.

The settlement is patterned on the contracts achieved by Local 1518 members at other Shoppers Drug Mart stores who went on strike for several weeks in November and December of 2007. The new contract will expire December 31, 2012.

The Union Negotiating Committee is Liz Silva, Darrell Causey, and James Raposo (Director of Negotiations for UFCW 1518).