OVERWAITEA NEGOTIATIONS--HEALTH & SAFETY ISSUES TAKE THE STAGE

Negotiations between the Union Negotiating Committee and Overwaitea continued again today.

The Union Negotiating Committee and employer spent a considerable amount of time talking about Health & Safety, as well as Duty to Accommodate issues. The Union Negotiating Committee expressed concerns about the way members who are entitled to an accommodation are having their accommodation implemented in the stores. The Union Negotiating Committee also noted concern about cases where store management has not taken seriously the issue of properly training injured workers who return to work in the stores.

The Union Negotiating Committee pointed out that they hope to strengthen the relationship between the union and employer at the store level that will allow for ongoing improvements to Health & Safety issues; to develop Health & Safety practices designed to PREVENT illnesses, injuries, and accidents that stem from working in the stores.

"It's going to be our union members, the people who are strong advocates for health and safety issues at the store level, who continue to be our greatest strength in making sure health and safety issues are addressed," says Ivan Limpright, President of UFCW 1518. "History shows that we can not rely on management to give health and safety issues the emphasis they deserve, and it's our members who pay the price with illness and injuries. It's our intention that going forward, we have better contract language and supports in place for the members who are the health and safety Reps day-in and day-out in their stores."

Agreement was reached during negotiations Friday on some minor contract language changes and housekeeping issues.

In closing remarks at today's negotiations, Limpright advised Overwaitea that the union was not prepared to see negotiations drag out, and that the employer needs to be prepared to deal with the difficult issues of Grid B and PriceSmart conversions.

The Union Negotiating Committee and Overwaitea are scheduled to meet again on March 6th and 7th.