Extra vacation and fairness at work
Fellow Unifor members,
On October 16 the parties provided the arbitrator with closing arguments for implementing a union employment contract (the “collective agreement”). The arbitrator will now decide on the final contents of your first collective agreement based on evidence presented during these hearings. The decision is expected before November 16!
An extra week of paid vacation at 10 years of service
Workers who reach 10 years of service at YVR2 will receive an additional week of paid vacation. This is a new benefit that did not exist before our union, and it recognizes the long-term commitment of workers who have put in a decade on the floor.
Discipline
Your bargaining committee has also secured an arbitration and grievance process separate from Amazon internal process. It will allow the union to call on independent arbitrators to determine if a disciplinary action or company policy is reasonable.
Why this matters
These wins did not happen on their own. They came from your bargaining committee pushing hard at the table, backed by the strength of a union that represents you. Every item locked into our contract is something Amazon cannot arbitrarily take back.
What you can do
If you have questions about what this means for you, talk to your bargaining committee or contact me. And keep talking to your coworkers about these gains! The more people who understand what the union is winning at the table, the stronger our position going forward.
In solidarity,
Mario Santos
Unifor National Representative