Wednesday November 19, 2014
For Immediate Release
Victoria, BC – A strike mandate of 87 per cent by members of IAM Local Lodge 456 gave impetus to a new collective agreement with Wheaton Chevrolet.
“It took six months of bargaining and talks bogged down in September over the issue of bumping but the strike mandate had the desired effect,” explained IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative Alastair Haythornthwaite.
The four-year agreement provides wages to be indexed by 1.5 per cent the first year, 1.75 per cent the second year and 2 per cent in the third and fourth year respectively. “This maintains our position as the best paid in the automotive sector in Victoria,” said Haythornthwaite. Medium duty work on small GMC busses has grown over the term of the last agreement and Technicians increased the premium eight fold to $4.00 per hour when assigned those duties.
“Staying technically current is essential at a dealership as new technologies are introduced on a nearly monthly basis,” explained Haythornthwaite. “To address this challenge, it is agreed Employees will be compensated for doing on-line training outside of work hours.”
The divisive issue of bumping was resolved with the Members maintaining the right to their existing wage rate for three weeks after bumping into lower classifications, forestalling any premature lay-offs.
The IAM has represented the bargaining unit at Wheaton since 1944. The IAM represents workers at more than 20 dealerships on Vancouver Island and the lower mainland of British Columbia.
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For further information:
Alastair Haythornthwaite – IAM District Lodge 250 Business Representative
250-360-2505/250-889-8903
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications
416-386-1789 Ext #6331/416-735-9765