Over 100 OPSEU members working at CanWest DHI (Dairy Herd Improvement) across the province have voted in favour of a three-year contract running from October 1, 2018, to October 1, 2021. The settlement provides for wage hikes in each year as follows:
Year 1: 1.75 per cent
Year 2: 1.75 per cent
Year 3: 2 per cent
“The team was honoured to have been elected to negotiate this contract, which gives our members wage increases for each of the three years, and we’re happy to have been able to deliver something we can be proud of,” said bargaining team chair Colin Benson.
“I’m very pleased to hear our members at CanWest DHI have given the thumbs-up to a settlement that includes good wage increases in each of three years,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, President of OPSEU. “I’m also delighted to hear the bargaining team didn’t have to deal with any employer-led concessions.
“I want to express my appreciation to the team for their hard work in getting this settlement, and I congratulate all our members at CanWest DHI for their solidarity and support.”
OPSEU’s members work in the company’s laboratory, where they test some two million milk samples annually. They also work as field staff and at the DHI head office.
CanWest DHI was established in 2004 and provides an extensive range of health and disease diagnostic milk-testing services. It also operates labs in Chilliwack and Edmonton.