No strike at Viterra as new contract accepted

A deal has been struck between Viterra Canada and the Grain & General Services Union, avoiding a strike.

The union’s locals 1 and 2 voted in favour of accepting the final offer from the grain handling and agri-business company. The two locals represent 436 employees across Saskatchewan and at Viterra’s Regina head office.

The offer was approved through a membership vote, and Viterra was notified of the results on Friday.

In a statement, GSU general secretary Steve Torgerson said the deal benefits the workers.

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“It is important to point out that there are improvements gained in this deal,” he said. “Improvements we’ve been working on for years. Improvements that will benefit members today and in years to come.”

The new deal is a four-year agreement that recognizes employees’ individual contributions in the company’s pay-for-performance compensation structure. That structure includes continued eligibility for an annual bonus payment under the company’s short-term incentive plan.

In a statement from Viterra Canada, Jordan Jakubowski, the company’s vice president of human resources, said he’s glad to get a deal done.

“We’re very pleased to have reached a long-term agreement with our employees, one that we believe is fair and reasonable that takes into account their needs, while balancing the needs of our business through long term labour stability,” he said.

Bargaining will now move on to the next phase where the union and Viterra will work together to incorporate the agreed-upon changes into the new collective agreement.