Labour unrest has been settled between the Carpenters’ Union Drywall, Acoustic, Lathing and Insulation Local 675 and the Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario (ISCA).
TORONTO
Labour unrest has been settled between the Carpenters’ Union Drywall, Acoustic, Lathing and Insulation Local 675 and the Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario (ISCA).
Local 675 went on strike from May 6 to 10 over the main issue that more work is done on energy-efficient homes while workers are paid the same.
“All the houses are Energy Star, they’re more efficient, which means that the drywaller has to do a lot more work to that house than he would have previously for the same money because it’s all on piecework. Because they have to do extra work, we have to recognize that with the extra money that we gave them,” said ISCA executive director Hugh Laird.
Insulation such as Roxul and R-24 are more work, explained Local 675 union coordinator Tony Iannuzzi.
“The insulators need to caulk everything. It’s taking three to four hours more to insulate a house because of this.”
The settlement will pay more, over and above the piece work rate, for R-24, Roxul and Energy Star homes.
The union’s initial total demands were around a 12 per cent pay increase over three years, said Laird. The two sides settled at nine per cent over three years, with 2.5 per cent the first year, three per cent the next and 3.5 per cent the third year.
ISCA’s last offer before the nine per cent had been eight per cent.
“We looked at the obligation that we have to the builder, who has an obligation to the home buyer. The longer they’re out, there’s more people who can’t move into a house,” said Laird on the need to come to an agreement.
Local 675 workers voted 816 in favour and 388 against the offer and ratified the agreement on May 10.
Negotiations had started last fall, said Laird.
The new collective agreement includes some language changes and Family Day is now recognized.
This was the first strike since 1995.
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