Lethbridge, Alta. – October 22, 2021 – UFCW 401 members working at Heaven Hill Distillery recently voted overwhelmingly in support of a new four-year collective agreement.

With the new contract at Heaven Hill, members avoid attempts by the company to alternate shifts and include weekends with no restriction. “The negotiating committee pushed back hard and have ensured predictability in weekly shifts, which is an important achievement for our members,” says UFCW 401 Lead Negotiator Devin Yeager.

The victory for the Lethbridge members comes amidst the company being locked in a six-week strike with union members at its U.S. Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. “It is our hope that these provisions and improvements will help our comrades in Kentucky in their strike with Heaven Hill,” adds Yeager. 

The new contract also improves vacation entitlements, expands the Joint Health and Safety Committee, increases pension contributions, addresses mandatory vaccination policies, and adds the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to its paid statutory holidays.

UFCW Local 401 is Alberta’s largest private-sector union, representing 32,000 members working in diverse sectors of the economy, including food processing, retail, education, entertainment, health care, and hospitality. To learn more about UFCW 401 and its outstanding work, visit the Local Union’s website.

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