Olymel plant in St-Hyacinthe reopens union contract to hike salaries

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The starting salary, which was between $16.37 and $17.12 an hour, depending on the job, increases to $20.50 to $27.50 an hour.

The Canadian Press

Lia Levesque

Publishing date:

Feb 10, 2022 • 37 minutes ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation

An increase in the starting salary, faster salary increases and higher bonuses should help with recruitment and retention, Olymel says.
An increase in the starting salary, faster salary increases and higher bonuses should help with recruitment and retention, Olymel says. Photo by Jacques Boissinot /The Canadian Pressfiles

Another consequence of increasing demand for labour: the Olymel meat packing plant in St-Hyacinthe has reopened its collective agreement and significantly increased salaries for its 171 unionized workers.

The starting salary, which was between $16.37 and $17.12 an hour, depending on the job, increases to $20.50 to $27.50 an hour. The timeline for salary increases has also been shortened, so workers can reach the maximum salary of $22.85 to $30.30 an hour in four months instead of three years.

The FTQ-affiliated Travailleurs et travailleuses unis de l’alimentation et du commerce (TUAC) voted 97 per cent in favor of a new collective agreement to this effect. The union said it represents “the best working conditions in the industry.”

Other improvements include increasing the evening shift premium from 65 cents to $2 an hour, as well as increased bonuses for trainers and those who work on weekends. In exchange, the contract has been extended from 2024 to 2030.

Olymel management said the longer agreement will give it some long-term stability and help retain and recruit workers. Spokesperson Richard Vigneault said the company agreed to the increases because they allowed it to remain competitive in the industry.


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