Another set of contract negotiations has come to a close in Kimberley, and like the contract recently concluded at Kimberley Alpine Resort, the Trickle Creek Resort employees negotiations went well, according to Jeff Bromley from United Steelworkers Local 1-405.
Trickle Creek Resort is the flagship hotel at Kimberley Alpine Resort, owned by Resorts of the Canadian Rockies.
Trickle Creek employees are voting today, Wednesday, Jan. 17, on a three-year agreement, which was tentatively reached this past December.
“This was a pretty smooth set of negotiations,” said Jeff Bromley, lead negotiator for the unionized employees of Kimberley Alpine Resort. “Our members had some specific needs that they wanted addressed, not the least of which was health care coverage.”
“While it might not seem like much on the surface, I believe there are some ground-breaking additions to this collective agreement. We were able to negotiate a Health and Welfare benefit $0.20/hour worked similar to Kimberley Alpine Resort has for its seasonal employees. This will enable our members to build up and use funds for Health Care expenses like prescriptions or eye-wear. It’s something we’ve never achieved at the lodge in the 11-year history of being certified there.”
“And for the first time I believe in any Steelworker collective agreement there is language that specifically deals with Domestic and Family Violence. In a workplace that is predominantly female, that process and protection outlined in their collective agreement is a good resource to draw on should the employee and the employer ever encounter it.”
Also included in the agreement is a wage increase of five per cent over three years, along with improvements to vacation and bereavement benefits.