January 9, 2008

NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY WITH OVERWAITEA FOOD GROUP; UNION PRESENTS PROPOSALS

UFCW 1518-- Negotiations between the Union Negotiating Committee and Overwaitea Food Group began today for renewal of the Save-On/Overwaitea collective agreement. The current contract, which covers approximately 9,000 union members employed with Overwaitea Food Group, expires on March 29.

UFCW 1518 President Ivan Limpright presented all the proposals made by union members for the new contract to the company. Limpright opened his remarks to the company by making it clear that, "...these are issues that the 9000 people you employ demand you address."

There were several key issues Limpright emphasized to the company:

A substantial wage increase for all employees.
All employees placed on a single wage grid scale. ("The notion of paying employees the same wages for the same work has been accepted and set in place for decades now. Limpright said.)
Fair distribution and provision of benefits for all employees.
ALL stores that have been converted to another banner must be covered by this (Save-On/Overwaitea) collective agreement.
Pharmacy Technicians must be appropriately compensated for the tremendous responsibility they bear in their work, and the value they bring to the company.
There will be ABSOLUTELY NO CONSIDERATION of any proposal from the company that would be a concession, now or in the future!

Limpright added there are a large number of other issues that are very important and which must be addressed in this round of bargaining.

After Limpright presented the proposals, company management asked the Union Negotiating Committee a number of questions seeking clarification about the union proposals. The company did not come with proposals of their own, saying they will submit them when negotiations take place on January 24.

Meanwhile, both the Union Negotiating Committee and company management will meet again on January 10.

The Union Negotiating Committee is composed of rank-and-file union members from across the province:

Karen Belcourt (Save-On, Lower Mainland)
Maurice Couturier (Save-On, Vancouver Island)
Dave Diamond (Save-On, Okanagan)
Sherry Earl (Overwaitea, Kootenays)
Don Fordyce (Save-On, Okanagan)
Janice Gullett (Save-On, Lower Mainland)
Cheryl Husdon (Save-On, Lower Mainland)
Keri-Anne Neave (Overwaitea, Burns Lake)
Lenore (Lennie) Peck (Save-On, Lower Mainland)
Wes Schellenberg (Pricesmart, Lower Mainland)

These members are joined by Ivan Limpright (President), Frank Pozzobon (Secretary-Treasurer), and James Raposo (Staff Negotiator).