The workers at the SunGro Horticulture plant in Elma have long been a part of the Union. However, the workers in the lab were out of scope and excluded from the collective agreement. These workers were feeling left out and left behind on wages and work conditions, so they voted YES to join the Union last fall with a collective agreement of their own.
On Thursday, March 10, these four new members ratified their first tremendous new collective agreement that will bring them improved benefits, vacations and huge pay increases of 38.5 – 58% over the next 26 months.
“I feel this is exactly the type of group that needed us and shows the difference union membership can bring to a group neglected by their employer,” says Joe Carreiro, Union Negotiator.
The SunGro Lab collective agreement will expire on May 31, 2024.