July 20, 2023
Following the recent contract ratification vote, as per the Memorandum of Agreement, please be aware of the following;
Retroactive Pay
All full-time employees hired prior to May 23, 2017 will receive a retroactive payment based on $2.00 per hour for every hour worked since January 29, 2023.
All full-time employees hired after May 23, 2017 will receive a retroactive payment based on $1.00 per hour for every hour worked since January 29, 2023.
Members should see this payment on the pay period of July 20, 2023.
Please note the following:
- Anyone off on WI or LTD at any time during the period of January 29, 2023 to June 28, 2023 will only be paid retroactive pay for actual hours worked on the floor.
- Anyone who is currently off on WI or LTD will receive the retroactive payment when they return to work at 80 hours regular duties.
- Anyone who was off on WI or LTD during the entire period from January 29, 2023 to June 28, 2023 is not entitled to retroactive pay.
Health & Welfare – Appendix B.15
Massage service has been added to chiropractic and physiotherapy effective August 1, 2023.
Article 11 – Vacations
Amend 11.01 (e) to read:
(e) Each employee who, as of September 30th in any year, has been employed for fifteen (15) years or more but less than twenty-five (25) years shall be entitled to five (5) weeks vacation with pay provided that one (1) of these five (5) weeks shall be taken during the months of January to May and/or September 1 to November 15th, at a time to be selected by the employee, subject to the approval of the Company;
This improved vacation entitlement will be effective January 1, 2024. Those members who have achieved 15 years’ (but less then 25) full-time service as at or before September 30, 2024 will be awarded 5 weeks’ vacation effective January 1, 2024.
Boot Allowance
Boot Allowance has increased to $150.00 effective August 31, 2023.
Extra Day Overtime
This will be paid at one-and-one-half (1 ½) times the regular rate of pay for all hours worked on Extra Day.
Personal Days
Effective June 28, 2023, any unused Personal Days are to be paid out at the end of November. Members should no longer be compelled to use their personal days.
Wage Increase
Effective January 31, 2024 all members at the end rate will receive a $1.00 per hour wage increase
Should you have any questions, please speak with your Stewards or contact your Union Representative, Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
June 28, 2023
After three presentations to the membership, on Wednesday June 28, members working at the Maple Grove Distribution Centre voted in favour of the Memorandum of Settlement (MOS) reached on June 22, 2023.
The settlement was reached after 6 days of bargaining with the company, and was unanimously recommended by your union negotiating committee.
Highlights of the settlement include:
- Immediate wage increase (end rate wages for those hired before May 23, 2017) of $2.00 retroactive to January 29, 2023, with an additional increase of $1 effective January 31, 2024
- Immediate wage increase for those in the wage progression of up to $6.00 per hour
- $7.25 per hour wage increase to the end rates during the first 6 years of the agreement
- Introduction of massage therapy for benefits
- 12-year job guarantee for the term of the agreement
- Early Retirement Package offered in each year to anyone who reaches 55 years of age (cap of 40 in 2024 and 30 in future years)
- Premiums increased and added to the CBA – afternoons $1.00 / nights $2.00 / freezer $2.00
- Five weeks vacation after 15 years, down from 18 years
- Boot allowance increase to $150 effective 2023 with further increases to $225
- Pay out of unused personal days at the end of each year
- Improved Health and Safety language
Should you have any questions, please speak with your Stewards or contact your Union Representative, Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
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June 23, 2023
After 6 days of negotiations, your union negotiating committee has reached a tentative Memorandum of Agreement with your employer.
Presentation of the tentative Memorandum of Agreement along with a ratification vote will take place as noted below;
Wednesday June 28, 2023
DoubleTree by Hilton Kitchener
30 Fairway Road South, Kitchener
Ontario Ballroom “B & C”
Presentation Times:
- 7:30 am – 10:00 am
- Noon – 2:30 pm
- 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
Should you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please speak with your Stewards or contact Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
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May 31, 2023
On May 29, 2023, your negotiating committee met to review and discuss contract proposals in preparation for negotiations. Thank you to all members who submitted proposals online. The items discussed at the May 18 membership open house, along with the submitted proposals will be used for the Union’s proposal document during negotiations.
On May 30, 2023, your negotiating committee met with representatives from the company in an effort to learn more about the East Gwillimbury and South Caledon Distribution Centres and the impact they will have on our members at Maple Grove.
With East Gwillimbury scheduled to open in late 2024 and South Caledon two years later, the company reconfirmed that both facilities will be fully automated and will be able to handle dry goods, produce and frozen goods. As we shared during the membership open house meetings, the company again restated that as a result of the new facilities, Maple Grove will see a reduction in volume at some point and ultimately, a closure.
As a result of this information, the union and company have agreed to begin negotiations early. It is the goal of your negotiating committee to ensure that Maple Grove remains an integral part of their distribution network for as long as possible and achieve the best possible outcome during these negotiations.
Your negotiating committee and the company have scheduled to meet for negotiations on June 15, 16 and 19 – 23, 2023, a total of 7 days.
Please remember that emotions are running high, with increased stress and anxiety. It is important to only discuss the facts that we have at our disposal. Please refrain from engaging in rumours, assumptions, and misinformation.
Should you hear information that concerns you, please contact your Steward or Union Representative as soon as possible.
Further updates will be provided as they become available.
Should you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please speak with your Stewards or contact Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
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May 19, 2023
On May 18, 2023, your local union, along with your stewards, held the “open house” for members at Maple Grove to discuss the company’s announcement of the proposed Distribution Centres in East Gwillimbury and South Caledon.
Thank you to all who attended one of the 3 presentation sessions and for all of your input.
A main agenda item was a discussion regarding proposals for upcoming negotiations. Your stewards presented an overview of proposals that they feel are extremely important to the membership at your workplace. Participants were given the opportunity to offer any other issues/proposals that are important to them.
If you were unable to attend one of the meetings, have your say by clicking on the link below to complete a proposal form and submit to your negotiating committee. Deadline for submission is Thursday, May 25, 2023 at 4:00 pm. If you have completed a hard copy of the “Negotiation Proposal Form,” ensure you submit it to your union steward by the deadline.
This morning, the union reached out to the company and was able to confirm Tuesday, May 30 to meet. We are hopeful to learn their plans for Maple Grove within their distribution network, as a result of the announcement of the new DC’s.
Your negotiating committee will be meeting on May 29 to review and discuss all submitted proposals.
This is an emotional time for many. We understand that the “unknown” can cause stress and anxiety. As a result, it is extremely important to only discuss the facts that we have at our disposal. Please refrain from engaging in rumours, assumptions and misinformation. Should you hear information that you are not sure of, let your steward or union representative know as soon as possible.
Further updates will be provided as they become available.
Should you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please speak with your stewards or contact Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
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May 11, 2023
Your local union has scheduled a membership “open house” to discuss the company’s announcement of the proposed Distribution Centres in East Gwillimbury and South Caledon.
Meeting Details
Thursday May 18, 2023
Doubletree by Hilton Kitchener
30 Fairway Road South, Kitchener (Google)
Waterloo Ballroom “C”
Presentation Times:
- 7:30 – 10:00 am
- Noon – 2:30 pm
- 3:45 – 5:30 pm
Earlier this week, your union contacted the company in an effort to determine their interest in meeting with your negotiating committee to discuss the recent announcement and its impact on the existing Loblaw distribution and supply facilities.
As of the posting of this update, the union has not had a response from the company. We are hopeful to have an answer for you at the membership meeting.
Please be aware of rumours, assumptions and unconfirmed information, as they can poison a workplace and cause undue stress and anxiety on our membership. Please refrain from engaging in the spreading of rumours and misinformation as it only hurts those you work with.
We understand that there has not been a lot of information available to date. As a result, it is extremely important to only discuss the facts that we have at our disposal.
Further updates will be provided as they become available.
Should you have any questions or concerns in the meantime, please speak with your stewards or contact Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
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May 6, 2023
Following the announcement last week by Loblaw regarding their land lease for a future distribution centre in Caledon, below is an update of what your union has been doing in response to the news.
An email was sent to the stewards last week from your union representative, informing them that as a result of the announcement the union would be seeking a meeting with Loblaw officials to discuss their plans for, not only this new facility in Caledon, but also the proposed facility in East Gwillimbury and the affect they would have on our Maple Grove members.
A meeting was held on Tuesday, May 2 where the union posed numerous questions to the company with very little response. Loblaw did reconfirm that both DC’s would be automated facilities and that they were investigating their options for operating them with a 3rd party, however, no decision had been made as of yet.
Your union contends, as per the Maple Grove collective agreement, that UFCW 1006A would be the bargaining unit for workers at any new facilities. Loblaw disagrees with this and as a result we have filed a grievance which has been referred to arbitration. As additional pressure, the local has filed an unfair labour practice application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
On Friday, May 5, Executive Assistant to the President, Dan Gilbert and your Union Representative, Ric Pereira, met with the Maple Grove stewards to discuss these issues.
The number one priority is to determine what affect these new facilities will have on members at Maple Grove. With limited information coming from Loblaw and knowing that we have begun preparations for the upcoming negotiations at the end of the year, the concept of early bargaining was discussed.
In an effort to learn what the company’s plans and timelines are for the new facilities and more importantly how the Maple Grove DC fits into their future plans as quickly as possible, your stewards endorsed the idea of your union making the request of early bargaining to the company.
In preparation, should Loblaw agree to early bargaining, the stewards took the opportunity and elected Peter Tabor, Derek Roussy and Jay Martin to join Tim Rozman, Tom Micallef and Jamie MacNaught along with Ric Pereira and Dan Gilbert as your bargaining committee.
The local is also looking to schedule a membership meeting as soon as possible to have a conversation with you about these new developments and the possibility of early bargaining.
Should the company decline the request for early bargaining, then the local will continue to put pressure on them for further information and will proceed as normal with the intent to begin bargaining in and around October.
Further updates will be provided as they become available.
Should you have any questions or concerns in the meantime please speak with your stewards or contact Ric at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | (416) 522-7542
