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6 March, 2003The union's main concerns in the negotiations dealt with pensions, contracting out and seniority.
CANADA: One-thousand USWA members at Ispat-Sidbec in Montreal and Contrecoeur -- representing both production workers and office staff - have ratified a new collective agreement worth C$304 million (US$207.5 million). The union says it is "one of the most generous monetary packages ever obtained without surrendering anything to the employer."
Negotiations centred on three main priorities: pensions, contracting out and seniority.
Pensions were improved to meet the industry standard and, over the next seven years, more than 1,200 of the approximately 1,600 workers in the chain will be eligible for retirement. Jobs have been protected through a tightened contracting out clause, which guarantees the practice will be kept to a minimum. The new contract will also benefit new hires at the Montreal pipe mill. Full salary will now be reached in 36 months rather than 72 months.
Ispat-Sidbec is Canada's fourth largest steel producer, with an annual steelmaking capacity of 1.6 million tonnes. It is owned by Ispat International N.V.