Employees at a Richmond logistics company have secured a 10.5 per cent wage increase over the next three years.
Seventy-four per cent of workers at Act Management Services Inc., based in Richmond, voted in favour of a three-year collective agreement that not only increases their wages by 10.5 per cent between now and 2025 but also other non-monetary improvements to their work.
Around 60 employees, represented by CLAC Local 66, will see a five per cent wage increase in 2023, three per cent in 2024 and 2.5 per cent increase in 2025.
Their new contract will also provide first-aid certified employees with an increase of 50 cents to $1 and a "safety boot allowance" from $100 to $150.
While employees with Act Management Services have five legislated illness and injury days, those who have been with the company for five or more years will receive an additional two days per year.
“The union bargaining committee advocated hard for the needs of the membership,” said Aleasha Wegner, spokesperson for CLAC, adding that issues around statutory holidays were one of the main concerns for union members, which were resolved in their favour.
“Wage expectations were another point of intense discussion, but in the end, the agreement includes an immediate solid increase with further moderate increases over the term. The agreement strikes a balance between the needs of the membership while also ensuring the company remains competitive.”
