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Why Join UFCW 1518?
Boom + Batten workers deserve fairness at work through improved wages and benefits, job security and a strong voice at work. Joining UFCW 1518 puts the power of a union behind you, fighting for what you deserve. We will work together to create long-lasting improvements to your job, using the collective agreement to protect your rights and outline a process for ensuring you are treated with respect & dignity.Unionized Workers
Non-Unionized Workers
You know when you will get a raise and how much it will be.
Raises are not predictable or guaranteed.
You have a legal contract that protects your wages, benefits and working conditions.
Your employer can make changes to wages, benefits or working conditions without your consent or input.
You can raise workplace concerns without fear for job security.
Speaking up can have consequences.
You and your co-workers have a say about your contract.
Management calls all the shots and makes all decisions.
You have the support of professional advocates and legal counsel.
You must plead your own case.
You have fairness and respect at work.
Respect depends on if you have a good manager.
You have security through a formal process to dispute unjust or arbitrary discipline.
You can be unfairly disciplined or fired, for any reason, at any time.
How do I Join UFCW 1518?
1. Union Support Cards
- Working with staff from our union, you and the majority of your co-workers (45%) sign a support card indicating you would like the BC Labour Relations Board to hold a unionization vote at your workplace.
- This process is confidential. Your employer will never have the right to know who did or did not sign. Your employer cannot legally take action against anyone for signing a card.
2. Secret Ballot Vote
- When a majority of your co-workers have signed a union card, the BC Labour Relations Board will hold a secret ballot vote to form a union at your workplace.
- Vote “Yes” to join the union.
3. Collective Agreement Proposals
- You and your co-workers submit proposals as to what should be the new collective agreement in your workplace.
- Your new contract will spell out wages, benefits, respect and job security.
Your Rights
The most important thing to know is that every British Columbian has the right to join a union.
The BC Labour Relations Code ensures you have the following legal rights.
- You are free to decide to join or not join a union.
- Your employer cannot fire you, suspend you, transfer you, lay you off, refuse to continue employing you or otherwise discriminate against you for being involved with the process of forming a union.
- You are free to express your views on unionization without reprisal.
FAQs
Don't let the employer's anti-union tactics get to you. You have questions, we have answers:
- Why is this happening?
- UFCW was contacted by some of your co-workers and was asked to assist all Boom + Batten employees in gaining the power to negotiate long-lasting improvements to their jobs. This is achieved by becoming unionized.
- Why are we unionizing with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union??
- UFCW is the largest private-sector union in B.C. that has the resources and experience to help you and your co-workers improve your jobs. UFCW specializes in workers who handle food. It's in our name, so we're the perfect fit.
- What positive changes can a union make to my job?
- All unionized workplaces have a mutually agreed upon employment contract known as a collective agreement. This collective agreement will secure your current wages, perks and other working conditions. Union members decide on what changes they want their union to make. Below is what your co-workers are saying are their priorities:
- Better Income and an End to Wage Theft
- A union will negotiate a fair wage scale that provides workers with regular pre-approved wage increases! This will guarantee you get the raises that were promised to you!
- Tips belong to workers, and it's against the law for management to take a cut of them. UFCW will negotiate a worker approved process of how to distribute tips.
- Your union will make sure you get paid the correct amount of overtime pay
- UFCW will fight to get back the tips and overtime pay that has been stolen from you and prevent this from happening again
- Your union could negotiate direct deposit or penalties for you pay cheques not being available on time
- Fair Scheduling
- Joining a union will give workers a say over how scheduling is done. It's all negotiable from staffing levels, length of shifts, limits to split-shifts, how changes are permitted, required notice of the posting of schedule (1, 2, 3 weeks in advance), etc
- Professional Advocacy & Support
- With a union, workers are not left alone with management to deal with their problems. Union members have access to union stewards, health and safety representatives, union representatives, accommodation representatives, labour lawyers, workers compensation lawyers, as well as any other expert your union determines, is needed.
- Better Income and an End to Wage Theft
- Can a union help with our current wage theft issue involving withheld tips and overtime pay?
- Yes, a union or one of our partnered organizations can file a complaint with the employment standards branch to get all withheld funds back into the pockets they belong in, you and your co-workers. Moving forward, you'd have union stewards and staff who would assist you resolve issues as they happen.
- I have concerns about sexual harassment in the workplace. Is this something a union can help me with?
- All forms of harassment and bullying are illegal, according to the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHS) enforced by Worksafe BC. Many workers without a union are fearful of even coming forward with a complaint because of fear of retaliation by management/owner(s). This isn't the case in unionized workplaces because of their union support system. Your union will also have a place on the company's health and safety committee to ensure the appropriate procedures are in place. If they aren't, we can get Worksafe involved or file a grievance to ensure that workers' safety and harassment issues are dealt with appropriately.
- Can a union assist me with concerns involving discriminated against at work?
- The human rights tribunal handles complaints involving discrimination. This would include race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, and so forth. UFCW supports its members on human rights violations that occur at the workplace through the grievance procedure. Without a union, you'd either need to take on this issue alone of pay for a lawyer to do it for you.
- I'm going to quit soon, why should I join the union?
- The first step in making the world a better place is taking action to make it better. By signing up and voting yes to joining UFCW 1518, you will be helping your co-workers, and your entire industry create better jobs for everyone.
- How much does this cost?
- There is no cost to join until your first collective agreement is voted in. Once you start benefiting from it, your dues will be no more than 2% of your earnings. Union dues are 100% tax deductible. The higher wages, rights and benefits that come with unionization are well worth the small cost associated with participating!
- If we successfully become a union, do you know if our wages will go up to account for the union fees?
- You decide to accept the collective agreement contract. Union staff would suggest you do not accept a union contract that doesn't, at the very least, cover the cost of union dues.
- Will the business "go under" if the union is formed?
- There are many examples of successful and profitable unionized businesses, such as Save-On Foods, Fairmont Hotels, Old Dutch chips, Molson, Coca-Cola, Victoria Event Centre and others. When workers unionize, they gain the ability to negotiate as one voice. You want to improve your jobs, not lose them, which is why you're union would only bring forward reasonable bargaining proposals. Finally, both sides must agree to all bargaining proposals. It's safe to presume that you and your employer will not agree to anything that would be fatal to the business.
- If this union goes through, who is going to represent us?
- Your union representatives will be made up of people who work with you and union staff. From your restaurant, you'll have bargaining committee members, health and safety reps and stewards. Union staff would include a union negotiator, union representative and accommodations representative (health and welfare, human rights, WCB).
- Will my gratuities be effected?
- The provincial NDP government recently introduced laws that affect how gratuities should be managed. A union will enforce the basic rules and will negotiate a worker approved process of how tips will be distributed.
Contact Us in Confidence
Any information you share with us is kept 100% confidential.
Your employer will never know that you contacted our union.
More questions? Concerns? Get in touch with Keith Murdoch at kmurdoch@ufcw1518.com or call 604.345.2800.
Ready for positive change at work?