Table of Contents
Welcome from Leadership
On behalf of UFCW 1518, we’re proud to present this simplified version of your Collective Agreement.
This guide was designed with one purpose: to make it easier for you to understand your rights at work. Whether you’re looking for information about scheduling, wages, benefits, or leaves, you’ll find the essentials laid out clearly and accessibly. While the full Collective Agreement remains the binding legal document, this guide offers a helpful snapshot of your core entitlements and protections.
Behind every article in this agreement is the power of workers standing together. From guaranteed raises and improved benefits, to better scheduling and job security—these wins are the result of members like you organizing and demanding more.
Use this guide. Share it. Ask questions. And never hesitate to reach out to your Shop Steward or Union Representative when you need support.
Patrick Johnson
President, UFCW 1518
Ronda Melbourne
Secretary-Treasurer, UFCW 1518
Introduction
Welcome to the simplified version of the Save-On-Foods (SOF) BC – UFCW 1518 Collective Agreement. This guide has been designed to provide an accessible overview of the key terms and conditions that shape the relationship between the employees and management. It aims to clarify your rights, responsibilities, and the procedures that support a fair and productive workplace.
Please note that this document is provided for convenience and does not replace or amend the official Collective Agreement. It is intended as an informational guide only and is offered without prejudice. In cases of discrepancies or in the event of any disputes, the Collective Agreement takes precedence.
This simplified guide is here to help you better understand the main elements of our agreement.
Shared Values and Goals
Representatives from the Employer and the Union developed and agreed to a set of Shared Goals and Shared Values.
Both organizations have agreed to live by these shared values and goals. They reflect how we will conduct ourselves, and we are committed to holding ourselves and each other accountable.
Honesty
- We will be truthful in our intentions and actions
- We will have a relationship based on candid and respectful communication
- We will do what we say we will do
Integrity
- We will take responsibility for our actions
- We will follow through on our commitments
- We will not take unfair advantage of each other
Trust
- We are committed to act with integrity and honesty
- We will hold ourselves accountable for our actions
- We will not pass judgment without discussion
Economic Security
- Sustainable growth is critical to allow OFG to grow profitably for the benefit of all
- Educating all employees that working together is critical for the future success and growth of the organizations
- Working to provide the opportunity for everyone to make a living wage
Quality Relationships
- Building trust through respect, candour and integrity
- Open communication to achieve mutual understanding
- Resolving issues in keeping with our shared values
Desirable Workplace
- Ensuring a productive workplace that is fair, respectful and fun
- Maintain a positive work environment based on cooperation, flexibility and adaptability
- A diverse workplace that values the unique characteristics of individuals and fosters a sense of belonging
Wages
| Step | Hours Worked | Pay as of June 1, 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-1040 | $17.85 |
| 2 | 1041-2080 | $17.95 |
| 3 | 2081-3120 | $18.05 |
| 4 | 3121-4160 | $18.15 |
| 5 | 4161-5200 | $18.25 |
| 6 | 5201-6240 | $18.35 |
| 7 | 6241-7280 | $18.45 |
| 8 | 7281-8320 | $18.55 |
| 9 | 8321-9360 | $18.65 |
| 10 | 9261-10400 | $18.75 |
| 11 | 10401-11440 | $18.85 |
| 12 | 11441-12480 | $21.00 |
Key Points
- Raises are given after completing every 1,040 hours of work.
- The more hours your work the faster you climb the wage steps.
- Members at or above $21.00 will receive a 2% raise on the First Sunday of June 2025 and June 2026.
Getting Help
- If you have questions about your rate of pay, your store payroll team member can help, or you can reach out to your store manager.
- If you’re not satisfied with the response, reach out to your Union Representative.
Benefits
- You have been employed for 6 (six) months.
- You maintain a weekly average of 24 hours or more.
- You have successfully completed the enrollment process.
- Dental and Extended Health Benefits
- Direct Pay Prescription Drug Card
- Short-term disability plan
Key Points
- The employer pays 100% of the premiums for your benefits.
- If your average hours drop below 24 hours you will lose your benefits and you will have to requalify.
- Coverage includes your dependents if identified upon enrollment.
Average hours qualification is tested at the end of each month and, if eligible, coverage commences on the 1st day of the following month (if eligible at end of August, coverage commences Oct 1st), provided that the online enrollment process and necessary forms are completed.
Hours Qualifications
- Dental & Extended Health – 24-hour average over 13 weeks, 6 months of continuous service
- Short-Term Disability – 32-hour average over 13 weeks, 6 months of continuous service
- Optional Life, Optional AD&D, Employee and Family Assistance Program – 3 months of continuous service
Getting Help
Health and Welfare: 1.877.643.7200
UFCW Pension Plan: 1.888.345.8329
Benefit Details
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Dental Canada Life - Policy #58606 |
|
| Extended Health Canada Life - Policy #58606 |
* when ordered by a doctor |
| Short-Term Disability Canada Life - Policy #58606 | Provides a benefit of 55% of weekly earnings (up to EI max) for up to 26 weeks if you are unable to work due to a non-work related illness or injury. This benefit is integrated with EI sickness benefits. |
| Optional Life and AD&D Canada Life - Policy #162752 | Available to purchase in units of $25,000 (up to $500,000) for you and your spouse. |
| Group RRSP and TFSA Sun Life Financial – Policy #66449-G and 99819-G | Contribute to an RRSP and/or TFSA through the convenience of payroll deduction. All team members are eligible to participate. Enroll online at www.mysunlife.ca (ID:13481; password: 257989) |
| Employee and Family Assistance Program Homewood Health | Provides you and your dependents up to 12 hours of professional counselling services per year. Contact Homewood Health at 1-800-663-1142 or visit www.homeweb.ca |
| LifeSpeak | Provides you and your family access to expert information on a wide range of health and wellness topics. Visit saveonfoods.lifespeak.com (password: wellness). |
This document is intended as a summary only. All benefits are subject to the applicable plan documents, contracts and collective agreements.
Questions?
- Canada Life (dental and extended health claims/coverage) 1-800-957-9777. Register for GroupNet for Plan Members at www.canadalife.com to access benefit details, claims history, personalized claim forms, travel and prescription drug cards, online claim submission and extensive health and wellness content.
- Sun Life Financial (account balances, investment direction, etc. 1-866-733-8612 or www.mysunlife.ca
- Benefits and Pension (Langley Office) 1-877-643-7200 or askhr@pattisonfoodgroup.com
Scheduling
The parties are committed to developing a fair scheduling system that addresses business needs while offering employees personal flexibility and the chance to achieve a living wage.
Work Model Guiding Principles
Within the first twelve (12) months of employment employees will be scheduled the longest shifts by seniority where possible. The Employer has the flexibility to manage the hours distribution at the bottom of the schedule.
Overtime and Overtime Pay
The hours more than the basic work week shall be offered by seniority and shall be voluntary.
All time worked in excess of the basic workweek, or the regular working day scheduled by the Employer, shall be paid at the rate of time and one half (1-1/2) the regular rate. All hours worked over ten (10) in any one (1) day shall be paid at double the basic rate.
All hours worked over forty-eight (48) in anyone (1) week shall be paid at double the basic rate. It is agreed that no one will be paid more than one (1) overtime premium for any overtime hours worked.
Statutory Holidays
The following days shall be considered statutory holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Family Day
- Good Friday
- Victoria Day
- Canada Day
- B.C. Day
- Labour Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Remembrance Day
- Christmas Day
- Boxing Day
- National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Employee Availability
Only employees who limit their hours to thirty-two (32) or fewer per week may submit an Availability Form. Those who do must be available for one (1) late shift per week and have open availability either Saturday or Sunday.
Employees restricting their hours to less than sixteen (16) per week must be available on both Saturday and Sunday.
Employees must submit an Availability Form to inform the Employer of their restrictions, up to a maximum of 5 time per year. Removing restrictions does not count towards this.
To lift their restrictions, employees must notify the Employer in writing using the Availability Form. All changes will take effect with the next posted schedule.
Restrictions of less than sixteen (16) hours will not be granted from May 31 to September 1 and November 30 to January 2, during which time such employees are not required to lift their restrictions.
All employees (except employees who have submitted an Availability Form) are eligible to submit a restriction to be scheduled off any one weekday.
Any employee hired prior to March 23rd, 2013 maintains the right to submit a Sunday restriction.
Weekly Work Schedules (Schedule Changes)
An employee’s schedule can be changed without notice for staff absences due to illness or emergencies. In all other cases, employees must be given at least twenty-four (24) hours’ notice of any changes or receive four (4) hours’ pay instead.
The Employer will try to verbally inform employees about schedule changes after posting the schedule. If a text message is not acknowledged, they will make additional efforts to communicate the change verbally.
Evening Work Rotation
Evening shifts will be fairly rotated among employees when practical for store operations. This does not apply to students. A late shift shall be defined as any shift that ends at 8:00 p.m. or later.
Requested Time Off (RTO)
Employees, requesting and who are granted R.T.O. prior to the posting of the work schedule, shall not have their hours of work for the week reduced. It shall be optional for the Employer to reduce the hours or days for any request made and granted after the posting of the work schedule. Requested Time Off (RTO) is not an entitlement, it is a request.
Shift Interval
There shall be an interval of not less than ten (10) hours between shifts for all employees.
Consecutive Days of Work
No employee shall be required to work more than six (6) consecutive days.
| Hours Worked | Paid Rest Period (15 Mins) | Optional Unpaid Rest Period (15 Mins)* | Unpaid Meal Period (1 Hour)** |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4-5 | 1 | ||
| 5.25-6 | 1 | 1 | |
| 6.25-7.5 | 2 | ||
| 8 | 2 | 1 | |
| 9 | 3 | 1 | |
| 10+ | 3 | 1 |
*Optional: 15-minute unpaid rest can be combined with 15-minute paid rest for a 30-minute unpaid break.
**Unless a lesser time is agreed upon (e.g. 30 minutes).
Getting Help
- If you feel you are not receiving the hours that you are entitled to please talk to your shop steward or your store manager.
- If you find you are scheduled more than 6 days in a row over a two week period, and you wish to not work more than 6 days in a row, please talk to your schedule writer.
- If you’re not satisfied with the answer, please contact your union representative.
Vacation
| Length of continuous service | Time Off | Vacation Pay* |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 3 years | 2 weeks | 4% |
| 3 or more years | 3 weeks | 6% |
| 8 or more years | 4 weeks | 8% |
| 13 or more years | 5 weeks | 10% |
*Percentage (%) of Gross Pay
The Employer will pay Employees their vacation pay when they take their scheduled vacation. If Employees haven’t earned enough vacation pay for a full paid week off, they won’t have to take the time off.
The vacation selection process shall start on November 1st of each year. Employees shall submit their requests for vacation time off on or before December 31st of each year.
Once the vacation schedule is posted any additional vacation time off requests shall be granted on a “first come, first served” basis.
Any changes to the vacation schedule shall be by mutual agreement.
An employee who is entitled to vacation time off may request to take one (1) week of vacation and break it into five (5) Single Day Vacation days off.
Key Points
- The number of employees off during any given week is determined by an agreed formula. You may not get the weeks you have requested if the weeks are filled by more senior employees.
- There are blacked out weeks during the year, usually the week that Christmas Day occurs and the week prior, but this can vary by store.
Leaves of Absence
Funeral Leave/Bereavement Leave
In the event of the death of a sibling, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, or any relative living with the employee, the employer will grant up to three paid days of compassionate leave to attend the funeral. This leave must be taken at the time of bereavement or the funeral.
For the death of a spouse, parent/legal guardian, or child, the employee is entitled to up to one week of paid leave. based on the average hours worked in the past four weeks.
Leave of Absence
All employees are entitled to apply for a leave of absence of up to six (6) weeks in duration once per calendar year. Approval of the leave request and the length of the leave will be adjudicated based on merit, compassion, length of service and the operational needs of the store.
One Year Leave
Employees shall be entitled to a one (1) year unpaid Leave of Absence after four (4) years of service. This leave of absence is only available once during an employee’s career.
Educational Leave
Employees with two (2) years or more of service shall be entitled to an Educational Leave of Absence for up to one (1) year. This leave of absence is only available once during an employee’s career.
Take-A-Break Leave (TAB)
Employees with two (2) years or more of continuous service are entitled to apply for a Take-A-Break leave of absence up to a maximum of one hundred and twenty (120) days per year.
Other Leaves
- Military Leave
- Paternal Leave
- Pregnancy Leave
- Domestic Violence Leave
Leaves of absence are not limited to this list. To see the full list, please review the full CBA.
Leave Pyramid
Eligible employees may pyramid leaves to a maximum of three (3) years. There is no requirement to return to work between leaves.
Seniority
Continuous service shall include all Leaves of Absence from work
pursuant to the Collective Agreement e.g. vacations, accident/illness, Leaves of Absence, etc.
Quit/Rehire
An employee rehired by Save-On-Foods BC within 90 days of their termination will be treated as a new employee under the collective agreement. However, their previous rate of pay, experience hours (up to the top rate on the current wage scale), and vacation entitlement will be fully maintained. The six-month waiting period for benefits will also be waived.
Full-Time Employee
An employee who has worked an average of at least thirty-six (36) hours per week during a thirteen (13) week consecutive period shall be considered full-time.
Job Opportunity Postings (JOP)
Job openings will be posted for ten days on the first of the month. All employees can apply for these positions. Jobs will be awarded based on seniority. All applicants must have attained six (6) calendar months seniority in their present classification prior to competing for a Job Opportunity Posting. A Job Opportunity is created when a Grid A employee terminates employment or transfers to another store. The opportunity may be posted. These postings are internal only.
(Closer to Home) Transfer Opportunity
The parties agree to help employees transfer to other stores to give them a chance to work closer to home. The transfer process will follow these guidelines:
- Employees that are unrestricted and have at least six months of seniority can indicate, twice a year (March/September), which stores they’d like to transfer to.
- Transfers will work on a one-in, one-out basis and will be decided by seniority.
Harassment, including Sexual Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination
The Employer and the Union recognize the rights of employees to work in an environment free from harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. Where an employee alleges that harassment including sexual harassment, bullying, or discrimination has occurred on the job the employee shall have the right to grieve under the Collective Agreement.
Where an allegation of harassment, sexual harassment, bullying, or discrimination has been received by the Employer or the Union, it will be investigated on a priority basis in accordance with the joint policy.
Key Points
- Document what happened, who was involved, witnesses. Either provide your statement to your store manager or union representative.
- An investigation will be conducted by either Save-on-Foods human resources department or they may provide questions to your store manager for investigation.
- Findings will be presented at the conclusion of the investigation if the allegations are founded or not.
Filing a Complaint (The Grievance Procedure)
Start by trying to resolve any workplace issue at the store level. Your store’s shop steward is a valuable resource who can either address your concerns with management or accompany you to discuss the issue. If the matter isn’t resolved, reach out to your union representative for assistance. They will assess whether a formal complaint is necessary to address your concern.
Key Points
- Shop stewards are your in-store union representatives, elected or appointed every two years. They receive annual training to effectively handle workplace issues.
- While it’s ideal to try resolving workplace issues directly in the workplace, it’s not required. You can contact your union representative at any time for assistance.
Getting Help
- Find contact details for your Union Representative by visiting ufcw1518.com/rep-finder
- To raise a grievance online, complete the form at ufcw1518.com/file-a-grievance
Please note: All grievances will be carefully reviewed to determine if they have merit and can be acted upon. There may be a better way to resolve your issues at work. Your union rep will advise you of the best course of action.
Management Structure
Our store’s management structure includes a Store Manager, supported by one to two Assistant Managers. Each department has a Department Manager and an Assistant Department Manager, along with Supervisors, all of whom are part of the key personnel team.
Key Personnel
Key Personnel are union employees who have the following titles:
| Position | Departments |
|---|---|
| Supervisors | - |
| Department Managers | Bakery, Deli, Meat, Produce, Centre of Store, E-Commerce, Wine, Restaurant |
| Assistant Department Managers | Bakery, Deli, Meat, Produce, Restaurant, Centre of Store (2) |
| Team Leaders | E-Commerce, Coffee |
Key Points
- The employer will post equal opportunity job postings (EOP) for the positions above. These postings go up as positions are required; they are not posted on any set schedule.
- Positions are awarded to the successful candidate, at the discretion of Management.
- These positions are paid at different rates or premiums.
Management Trainee
The Management Trainee position is a dynamic, year-long development program designed to prepare team members for future leadership roles. This opportunity offers hands-on experience, courses, and professional growth, all while earning a $1.00/hour training premium for all hours worked. It’s the perfect steppingstone for those eager to advance their careers and make a lasting impact in leadership.
Management Rights
The Union agrees that the management of the Company, including the right to plan, direct and control store operations, the direction of the working force and the termination of employees for proper cause, are the sole rights and functions of the Employer.
During the first four (4) months of employment, new hires shall be on probation and will receive a written evaluation within three (3) months of employment.
The decision whether to retain or not to retain the employee’s services shall be the sole right of the Employer.
Growing Our Future (GOF) Meetings
Growing our Future meetings are held once a month to encourage open and candid discussion on topics and issues that arise at store level, so that Shop Stewards, Team Members, and management can work collaboratively to find solutions and ideas on improving the workplace for everyone.
For opportunities to participate, please chat with your Shop Stewards and store management team.
Got More Questions?
Key Contact Information
United Food & Commercial Workers Local 1518
Email: reception@ufcw1518.com
Phone: 604.526.1518
Benefits
Health and Welfare: 1.877.643.7200
UFCW Pension Plan: 1.888.345.8329
