Employees at a local automotive stamping facility have voted in favour of a new three-year agreement.
Members at Flex-N-Gate voted 56.7 per cent in favour of a new agreement on Friday.
Unifor Local 195 and the company had been at the bargaining table for the last few weeks, and the first tentative agreement was overwhelmingly rejected, according to the union.
Bargaining then continued over the Victoria Day long weekend, where a second tentative agreement was made.
Unifor Local 195 President Emile Nabbout says the main sticking point in negotiations was wages.
He says this agreement is the largest gain the facility has ever seen, with a substantial wage increase, the lifting of a cost-of-living allowance that was frozen since 2008, a shift premium for employees on midnights, increases on personal paid holiday, incentives for retirement and benefits, as well as a $3,500 signing bonus.
Nabbout says members didn't think the first agreement offered was enough.
"The economic situtation we are in, and inflation, really forced those memberships to it down, even though it was a good agreement, but they turned it down. It was an overwhelming vote from the members present at that meeting. So, we returned back to the table and we went over the weekend, the long weekend, and we were able to reach a second tentative agreement."
He says while members received a substantial wage increase, they were also pleased to see a cost-of-living allowance that was frozen since 2008 lifted.
"We were able to reactivate, one of them was a shift premium for people working on a different shift, on a midnight shift. And increases on personal day holiday, where people are able to take time off with pay. And a lot of insentives for retirement, and benefits."
He says this is a good agreement for the members.
"At the end of the day we heard the membership, and with the second ratification we were able to bring money, money, extra money back to the membership. And you know what, some people still believe they need more but at the end of the day I believe this is a good collective agreement."
Nabbout adds that the members were willing to take strike action if their bargaining asks weren't met.
The union represents approximately 700 employees at Flex-N-Gate.
The facility manufactures metal and plastic original equipment components for automotive companies such as Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.