More than 300 employees at a Richmond-based marine manufacturer will not be going on strike after reaching an agreement with the employer.
CLAC Local 501, the union representing about 320 Dometic Marina Canada Inc. employees, announced on July 11 that the bargaining process for a new contract has wrapped up following an arbitrated settlement.
Dometic Marine at 3831 No. 6 Rd. designs, engineers and manufactures components for the pleasure craft marine industry.
The new three-year agreement provides for wage increases totalling nine per cent and includes improved language on shift changes and posting, said CLAC Local 501 in a media release.
The union had issued a 72-hour strike notice in June following a strike vote in early May. The employer issued a 72-hour lockout notice in response.
Negotiations took almost a year and involved more than a dozen meetings and two mediation sessions at the B.C. Labour Relations Board, according to the union.
Work stoppage was ultimately averted when the parties agreed to binding arbitration. A decision was issued in late June.
“This is the most difficult round of bargaining I have ever been involved in,” said Don Mundy, longtime CLAC representative.
“We absolutely went to the wall for the membership. With high inflation over the last few years, members were looking for big wage increases. Unfortunately, the company has seen a downturn in sales and was in a tough financial situation.”
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