I was recently browsing through Labour Relations Alberta’s database of collective agreements to see if there were any new ones added.
I noticed that Local 362 of the General Teamsters Union had recently settled a new collective agreement between Spectrum Supply Chain Solutions and about 35 of its Calgary workers.
Spectrum is a warehousing company that owns a network of storage and distribution facilities across Canada.
Their previous contract expired at the end of May. Their new contract will run for 5 years—2 more years than their previous contract—expiring in May 2029.
The workers are set to receive wage increases in all 5 years of the new contract, beginning with last month.
| 1 Jun 2024 | 4.5% |
| 1 Jun 2025 | 2.5% |
| 1 Jun 2026 | 3.0% |
| 1 Jun 2027 | 4.0% |
| 1 Jun 2028 | 3.0% |
That’s a combined 17% wage increase over the life of the contract, or an average of 3.4% per year.
That’s better than the annual average of 2.44% they received in their previous contract.
By the end of the contract, only one set of workers—those working in the “special pack” department—will still be making less than $20 an hour, but at $19.54, it’ll be barely below.
As far as other changes go, the new contract adds National Day of Truth and Reconciliation as a recognized statutory holiday.
Workers covered by this contract currently get 5 paid personal and family responsibility days each year. This will increase to 6 as of 1 June 2028.
Spectrum Supply Chain Solutions offers an incentive programme, where they pay each worker an extra $100 a year who meets key performance indicators for their department. In 2025, the incentive programme payment will increase to $125, and it will jump another $25 in 2027 to $150 a year.
