Wednesday November 4, 2015
Montréal, QC – Members of IAM Local Lodge 712 voted 92 per cent in favour of their next collective agreement with Bombardier Aerospace Inc.
‘’We have made the choice of making certain compromises for advancing the aerospace industry and to secure the defined pension plan,” explained IAM Quebec Coordinator David Chartrand. “We hope in return our employer is conscientious.”
The workers of Bombardier will not have a raise in the first year of their contract while having their deductions for their retirement plan increased. That being said, the IAM members at Bombardier will see a wage increase of six per cent over the life of the four-year agreement. Furthermore, despite the increase in deductions, their retirement will remain as a defined plan which is becoming increasingly rare in today’s workplaces.
“We have worked hard with our employer to conserve certain gains,” proclaimed IAM Local Lodge President Yvon Paiement. “Our retirement plan remains one of the best and our collective insurance is very competitive. We are proud of what we have accomplished given today’s context. It’s an agreement which leaves nobody on the outside.”
The negotiation committee paid special attention to temporary workers, who have seen their working conditions and benefits improved thus providing greater stability. “We have improved and made insurance coverage accessible while increasing stability for temporary workers, explained Christian Bertrand, President of IAM Local Lodge 712 Grievance Committee. “It is our duty, with each and every negotiation to increase working conditions of all workers regardless of their work status, we must reduce inequalities.”
The IAM represents over 4,700 workers at Bombardier.