Thursday February 13, 2014
For Immediate Release
Ottawa, ON – Members of IAM Local Lodge 2413 have ratified their first collective agreement with ASIG Ground Handling Canada Ltd (formerly Dryden Air Services).
“There were some tense moments during our organizing campaign for this group,” explained IAM District Lodge 140 General Chairperson Mike Corrado. “Eventually the new owner wisely agreed to work with us and once the Canada Industrial Relations Board officially certified us as bargaining agent in October 2013, negotiations soon followed.”
The five-year agreement provides a lump sum payment of $200.00 for members with less than one year of service, $300.00 for members with one to two years of service and $400.00 for members with more than two years of service. Wage increases of 2 per cent were provided in the second and third year of the agreement and 2 per cent plus COLA (Cost of Living Allowance) in the fourth and fifth year respectively. Other agreement highlights include :
• Language to prevent discrimination
• Language outlining Union workplace representatives (Chief Steward, Union Stewards, Shop Committee, Negotiating Committee, Scheduling Committee, and Health & Safety Committee.
• Scheduled Labour Relations meetings between the Company and your Union Shop Committee
• Super Seniority for Chief Steward (only in a lay-off situation) with mutually agreed upon work hours that allows access to both Management and the employees
• Defined Grievance procedure and Arbitration Procedure
• Shorter Probationary Period for new hires and existing probationers
• Lay-off and re-call language to ensure employees are protected in the event of a lay-off or a reduction from Full-Time to Part-Time
• Improved Bereavement Leave
• Designated space for a lockable Union board for Union notices only
• Improved and defined minimum and maximum hours of work for Part-Time employees
• Improved shift bidding process which includes input from Union Scheduling Committee
• Improvements to overtime, with reduced amount of weekly hours required to qualify for over time rate of time and one-half
• Improved Vacation language.
• Improved RRSP Plan
• Improved Uniform/Clothing Allowance
• Increased Boot allowance
• Improved sick leave language
• No subcontracting language
• Increased Lead Premium
“This round of bargaining was somewhat unique as the employee’s wage scale is superior to its competitors in the Ottawa and other Ontario Markets,” explained Corrado. “I set up a closed Facebook group for the members at ASIG so they could access information about the bargaining along with timely emails so they could make an informed decision on their agreement. None of this would have been possible without the hard work of bargaining team members Mark Dilello, AJ Moore and Kevin Sharkey.
The ninety members consist of aircraft groomers and ramp agents who service West Jet, Sunwing Airlines, Air Transat, Cargojet and CanJet at Ottawa Airport. The IAM represents more than 18,000 workers in the Canadian Air Transport Sector.
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For further information:
Mike Corrado – IAM District Lodge 140 General Chairperson
905-671-3192/416-407-6535
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications
416-386-1789 Ext 6331/416-735-9765