8.01 - Current Privileges and Amenities
All privileges and amenities currently enjoyed by the employees shall be kept in force.

8.02 - Employee Clothing The current practice regarding the supplying and cleaning of employee uniforms will continue and will be in compliance with the Employment Standards Act of B.C. The Employer may, at its discretion discontinue or change the “look” of the uniforms.

Safety Footwear will be provided to employees who regularly do tours in the stainless steel fermentation area of the plant or to employees in keeping with WCB regulations.

Those employees that have completed one (1) year of continuous service without a break in seniority shall receive for shoes, trousers, scarves and ties the following:

       January    January    January
        2005       2006       2007
       $125.00    $150.00    $175.00

8.03 - Contract Copies
The Union will arrange to have 150 booklets printed by a Union printer with the cost shared by Local 300 and the Company. (50% each).

8.04 - Jury Duty
When an employee is required to serve on a regular or coroner's jury during his normal working hours, he shall be granted leave of absence and shall receive the difference between his straight time rate of pay (for hours necessarily absent and during which he would otherwise have been working) and the amount received for such jury duty or for appearing as a witness if subpoenaed.

8.05 - Bereavement Pay
When an employee attends the funeral of an immediate relative, he shall receive leave of absence for not more than three (3) consecutive days (one of which days shall be the day of the funeral) and shall receive eight (8) hours straight time rate of pay for each of such days absent on which he would otherwise have been working. For the purpose of this Section, "immediate relative" shall mean one of the following: spouse (including lifetime partner) daughter, son, mother, father, sister, brother, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, step parents and legal guardian.

The Company will grant additional leave without pay upon reasonable request.

8.06 - Paid Union Education Leave
Upon written application by an officer of the Union, the Company agrees to grant educational leave of absence, without loss of regular pay, not to exceed five (5) normal working days in any one year, to elected officials of the Union to attend a Union approved course. No more than a total of ten (10) working days shall be available in any one year to all elected officials. Such educational leave will be so arranged between the Union and the Company so as to minimize disruption of the Company's operation.

8.08 - Tuition Costs
Employees will be eligible for refund of tuition costs (including the prescribed textbooks) of educational courses provided that:

1. the course is given by a recognized school and is approved by the Manager as a contribution to the development of the employee,
   
   
2. the course is likely to contribute to the employee's performance or advancement within the Company,
   
   
3. the employee offers proof of successful completion of the course,
   
   
4. The maximum refund to the employee in any one (1) calendar year will be Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for any full term course and One Hundred and Twenty Five Dollars ($125.00) for any half-term course.

8.09 - Leave of Absence Without Pay

1. Leave of Absence without pay may be obtained by mutual consent of the Company and the Union if requested in writing at least thirty (30) days in advance so that a replacement may be trained if necessary. Such leave of absence shall not exceed eight (8) months.
   
   
2. In granting leave, due consideration will be given to the reason for the request and expected production requirements and conditions at the time of such leave. Such items as employee seniority, number of other employees away, vintage period, etc. shall be taken into account in considering requests for leave.
   
   
3. An employee shall be required to apply any Banked Overtime and Vacation Time to any requested leave of absence without pay.
   
   
4. During the leave of absence, an employee shall not obtain employment elsewhere. All leaves will be granted without loss of seniority rights, but if obtained through fraud or misrepresentation, the employee shall be subject to discharge.
   
   
5. An employee who obtains leave of absence because of personal sickness or physical disability shall present a proper certificate from the attending physician or surgeon. In such instances, the plant manager may extend the period of leave of absence for sickness up to but not to exceed one year.
   
   
6. During leaves of absence in excess of thirty (30) calendar days, employees will be required to carry their own medical, dental and group coverage. Coverage may be continued if the employee pays the full premium. Weekly Indemnity will be suspended and vacation entitlement will be pro-rated in the year in which a leave of absence is taken.

8.10 - Safety Committee
A joint Health & Safety Committee consisting of one (1) Union appointed members, and one (1) Company appointed members shall meet monthly during regular plant working hours. The function of the committee shall be in accordance with Section 4.06 of the Industrial Health and Safety Regulations of the Worker's Compensation Board of B.C.

Selection of more than one employee from a department is subject to the approval of management.

Employees who attend these meetings during their regularly scheduled working hours shall not lose pay.

8.11 - Bulletin Board
The Company agrees to provide a bulletin board in the lunch room for the sole use of the Union.

8.12 - Discipline

1. The Shop Steward shall receive prior notification and copies of written warnings and notices of suspension.
   
   
2. The Company will not take into consideration 'letters of reprimand' on the record of the employee after a period of twelve (12) months has elapsed. (18 months in the case of suspension).
   
   
3. The employer shall not discharge any employee without just cause. Prior to any proposed discharge, the Employer shall notify the Shop steward and/or a Union officer to be present when formal charges are made against an employee. In order that the union representative may have sufficient time to investigate the charges pertaining to discharge, the employee will be, in the interim, put on suspension. Written and telephone notice of such suspension will be furnished to the Local Union. The Union has two (2) business days to investigate charges prior to formal dismissal. Prior to dismissal the Union/Management Committee will meet to review the issue.

8.13 - Union Negotiations
Members of the Union Committee (maximum 3 employees) shall not be required to work on any day that collective bargaining negotiations with the Company are held to discuss the renewal of the Agreement.

The Company agrees to pay the Union Committee members eight (8) hours pay at their current rates for each full negotiating day (8 hours). However, the maximum cost of this provision to the Company shall be fifty-six (56) hours pay for each of the three (3) employees.