Sunday March 6, 2005
For Immediate Release
Montreal – Members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 712 have ratified a new six-year collective agreement with Bombardier Aerospace.
The agreement, which contains no wage concessions, is the union’s response to meeting its share of the company’s target of $120 million in labour cost reductions. Bombardier says it’s a requirement in locating the new manufacturing plant for the proposed C-series passenger jet. The new plant would create 2,500 new jobs in the Montreal area.
The 6,300 members ratified the agreement with the understanding that if Bombardier locates the new assembly plant outside of Quebec, the agreement will be null and void.
Highlights of the agreement include:
- 20 years guaranteed work on the new C-series final line assembly
- A Letter of Agreement that assembly work on the cockpit will be guaranteed until the end of the agreement (6 years)
- Increased protection against contracting out for certain trades with a Letter of Agreement on Article 45 providing workers with 1 week/year up to 30 weeks severance
- Retraining to be provided by the company to keep members working at Bombardier
- Language improvements on disciplinary measures progression
- Two new voluntary shifts
- New pilot-project on banking hours with a 4-hour/week maximum. If absenteeism is reduced the company will consider increasing the number of employees beyond the current 100/plant.
- Insurance premiums increased from $2 to $5 and from $3 to $10 for families
- Reduced prescription coverage – 80% for brand name and 95% for generic
- A wage freeze in the first year of the agreement followed by increases of 2.5%, 2.5%, 2.75%, 3% and 3% in years two through six respectively. A Letter of Agreement provides protection in the final two years should the cost of living exceed 4%. Increases would be negotiated and submitted to arbitration if necessary
Bombardier’s board is expected to decide March 15, 2005 whether to proceed with the new aircraft and where it will be built.
The IAMAW is among the largest industrial trade unions in North America and represents more than 600,000 active and retired members and administers more than 5,000 contracts in transportation, woodworking, aerospace, manufacturing and defense-related industries.
