The union representing employees at a Loblaw Co. Ltd. distribution centre in Ajax, Ont. has ratified a new four-year contract that will increase employer contributions to a group registered retirement savings plan.
For workers with five or more years of service, the employer’s RRSP contribution match will increase to five per cent from 3.5 per cent, says Clayton Nunn, national representative for Unifor. “For the warehouse sector, that sets a bar. Sobeys [Inc.] is at 2.5 per cent and Metro [Inc.] is at 3.5 per cent and they’re all going into bargaining.”
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In addition, employees will receive a 20 per cent increase to their vision benefit and a 33 per cent increase to their dental and hearing benefits. Starting wages for warehouse workers will increase to $22 from $19 and all other wage classifications will increase between 11 per cent and 14 per cent over the next four years.
Employees with 15 years of service will also receive a fifth week of vacation and the contract will also establish a racial justice advocate in the workplace.
Loblaw didn’t respond to Benefits Canada’s request for comment.
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