Workers with the waste disposal company Green for Life Environmental voted overwhelmingly in favour of a new collective agreement Sunday.
Employees voted 78% in favour of strike action back in November of 2018. The main issue during negotiations was wages, as workers have been earning between $16 and $21 an hour.
Local 444 Vice President Doug Boughner tells AM800 News the 95% margin shows the company heard their concerns and came back with an agreement that works for everybody.
"The increase is about a $1.35 over three years, about 45-cents [per/hour] a year, and benefits pension plans were all there, so it's good," he says. "We wanted to make sure we nailed down the pension and the benefits and a good wage and I think we were able to capture all those."
GFL votes 95% in favour of a new contract that will see more job security and fair wages over the next three years of the deal. @AM800News @CTVWindsor #cklw pic.twitter.com/g3we2pXkgp
— Gord Bacon (@baconAM800) January 13, 2019
Boughner says no one wanted to see another garbage strike in Windsor.
"We made sure that this company was going to make sure the workers are taken care of and the workers they're clearly happy that they have a voice now," added Boughner.
The City of Windsor hired GFL eight-years-ago to collect garbage as part of a contract that continues until 2024.
Windsor Machine and Stamping also voted in favour of their new three year collective agreement by a margin of 63% Sunday morning.