Machinists sign new agreement and add new members at Lounsbury

Machinists sign new agreement and add new members at Lounsbury

Thursday April 19, 2018

For Immediate Release

Bathurst, NB – IAM Local Lodge 2418 has a new collective agreement with Lounsbury Automotive and three additional members. A request for voluntary recognition of three service advisors into the Local and the current collective agreement was initially rejected by the employer.

“The Collective Agreement had expired at the end of January so instead of applying to the Labour Board to amend the certification, we decided to seek voluntary recognition at the bargaining table,” explained IAM Grand Lodge Representative Rick Arsenault. “When the employer resisted, we as a committee told them we were suspending negotiations so we could go apply to amend the Certification to include the service advisors. The employer reconsidered and we were successful in negotiating the service advisors into the new agreement.

The three-year agreement provides wage increases of 9 per cent over the life of the agreement. Other agreement highlights include:

  • Increased safety boot allowance
  • Increased tool allowance
  • Improved bereavement leave
  • Improved clothing allowance
  • Signing bonus of $400.00 in lieu of retroactive pay
  • Inclusion of Service Writers into the unit

“I want to thank my committee members Donna Boudreau and Etienne Poirier for their excellent work on this agreement,” said Arsenault.

(from left to right) Etienne Poirier, Donna Boudreau and new members Jennifer Murty, Eddie Couture and Helene Gallien

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For further information:
Rick Arsenault – IAM Grand Lodge Representative
506-351-0613/506-381-3988
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications for Canada
416-386-1789 Ext #31/416-735-9765