April 8, 2016 - Please accept this as the latest in a series of contract negotiations updates. Your negotiations committee met on Monday to prepare to meet with the employer on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.
The parties worked through Tuesday and all day Wednesday back and forth inching closer to an agreement. Late in the day on Wednesday the employer gave our committee what is termed a last and final offer. Unfortunately, the offer was not suitable for the Executive Board to accept and recommend bringing back to the membership. The local union Executive Board unanimously turned down the opportunity to sign this offer and the parties were not able to reach consensus at this point in time.
We plan to await hearing from the employer's representatives as to how we proceed and move forward. We would obviously prefer a negotiated, recommended settlement and will not stop working toward that goal. I expect to hear from the employer early next week at the latest to decide the next steps in this very difficult process. The issues that remain are as before and specifically pension and wages related. By and large all other issues are settled. I will say that we are indeed progressing and are closer to the objective than the last time we met to bargain. We will keep you informed as to the next steps in the process when those decisions have been finalized. At this point no plans have been made to present the latest document to the Provincial stewards or the membership.
We believe it wise and prudent to continue working toward a negotiated settlement that we can recommend is the best course of action at this juncture. Once again, thank you all for your patience with regard to this lengthy and arduous process.
Robert Edwards
President
UFCW Canada Local Union 12R24