Sky Café first contract is a gem!

Sky Café first contract is a gem!

Tuesday January 30, 2018

For Immediate Release

Toronto, ON – The one hundred per cent acceptance rate might give you the first indication that the members of IAM Local Lodge 2413 at Sky Café are happy about their first collective agreement.

“I’m very proud at the result we were able to achieve,” said a very satisfied IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 General Chairperson Dave Freeman. “There were dozens of work place visits to get the members organized and then ready for bargaining. The company threatened us with legal action and eventually banned us from the workplace but we fought back and maintained contact with our members throughout the process.”

The three-year agreement provides warehouse workers and commissary agents with an automatic wage increase to $15.00 per hour plus a wage increase 1.5 per cent in the first year. Drivers receive a 1.5 per cent wage increase in year one, all members receive wage increases of 2 per cent in year two and three respectively. Other agreement highlights include:

  • Refrigeration unit workers receive a $ .50 an hour premium
  • Night shift workers receive a $ .50 an hour premium
  • Overtime will be paid after 40 hours
  • New shift language, shift scheduling now on a monthly basis, daily shift changes are no longer allowed
  • Benefit co-pay changed from 50/50 to 60 per cent paid by the employer in year one, 70 per cent in year two and 75 per cent in year three

“We struggled to have Sky Café management meet with us for bargaining sessions and only a strong strike mandate by the membership forced the company to take us more seriously,” explained Freeman. “I want to thank brothers, Sam Jabbar – Transportation District Lodge 140 Organizer and Grand Lodge Representative Ralph Martin for their efforts. Without them we would not have secured these members or ratified this agreement.

The members consist of 50 warehouse and commissary agents who package the airline meals and 13 drivers who transport the meals to aircraft at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. The IAM is the largest union at the airport.

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For further information:
Dave Freeman – IAM Transportation District Lodge 140 General Chairperson
905-671-3192 Ext #225/416-254-5577
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications for Canada
416-386-1789 EXT #31/416-735-9765