Workers at the Hibernia gravity-based offshore oil platform, represented by Canadian union Unifor, have voted to accept a new collective agreement with their employer.
The new agreement includes improvements in wages, benefits and working conditions including for temporary employees. It was accepted by a margin of 58% and will expire on 30 June 2019. Unifor represents nearly 400 people on the platform, which sits east of St John's, New Foundland.
"This was an extremely tough round of bargaining," said Unifor Atlantic Regional Director Lana Payne. "There is no doubt that we still have some unresolved issues in the workplace, and I can guarantee that the union will be working hard over the term of the agreement to have them resolved."
Contract details include a lump sum up-front payment for regular employees of CAD$6000 and up to $6000 for temporary employees, pro-rated, as well as wage increases of 3.5% upon ratification, 3.75% on 1 July 2015 and 3% in each of 2016, 2017 and 2018. There were also improvements to several other areas of the collective agreement.
"These are tough jobs, working in one of the toughest environments in the world, and we are very proud to represent workers in the offshore oil industry," said Dave Moffat, Assistant to the President at Unifor. "We are expecting that this agreement will help bring stability to this complex workplace in the near and long term."
Brian Murphy, Unifor National Staff Representative, congratulated the bargaining team for their hard work. "We have made improvements and we look forward to building upon this agreement as well."
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing more than 305,000 workers, including nearly 12,000 in the energy sector. It was formed Labour Day weekend 2013 when the Canadian Auto Workers and the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers unions merged. Unifor works to protect its members and play a leadership role in building thriving, safe workplaces and a strong economy so all workers in Canada have a good job, a decent standard of living and greater equality.