Members of the United Steelworkers' Local 03-18 have ratified a new collective agreement with Samuel Strapping, part of Samuel Manu-Tech Inc., at its Warden Avenue facility in Toronto.

The three-year agreement includes annual hourly wage increases and cost-of-living adjustments, limitations on contracting out, and improvements to vision care, drug and long-term disability benefits, as well as a tool allowance increase.

Other improvements include the elimination of an employer provision that allowed short-term layoffs to be done without regard to seniority. Employees who successfully bid for a higher-rated position will now receive the higher rate of pay when they are awarded the position instead of waiting to be actually in the new position.

The company has also agreed to contribute $10 per employee per year to the Steelworkers' Lifeline (employee assistance) Program. In addition, by the end of the agreement, the employees' pension plan will have increased to $47 per month per year of service.

Toronto-based Samuel Strapping has workers at six Ontario locations that are represented by the United Steelworkers. The company manufactures steel and plastic strapping, hand tools, edge protection, stretch film material and equipment, as well as standard and custom-engineered unitizing equipment.

The United Steelworkers represents about 190,000 men and women working in every sector of Canada's economy.