Valcourt, Québec - 2000-06-07
Bombardier Recreational Products met with the Eastern Townships media today in Valcourt to address labour relations at its Valcourt plants. Backed by a half a century of positive labour relations marked by cooperation, partnership, respect and mutual trust, management reaffirms its commitment and its full confidence in the company's lasting and proven labour relation system as it exists today. "The labour relation system implemented over the last thirty years is working. Its efficiency is proven and, most of all, it gives employees a chance to express themselves," said Marc Pelletier, Bombardier Recreational Products Human Resources Vice President. "The Labour Relations Committees (LRC) are the cornerstone of our labour relations. These committees, formed of employees democratically elected by their peers, confirm the deep-rooted mutual confidence and receptiveness that define our relations," added Mr. Pelletier.
Over the past thirty years, hundreds of individuals have worked together to build the system that has governed labour relations in Valcourt, including negotiation mechanisms that allow employees to express themselves. Each year, LRC representatives negotiate work conditions and global earnings with management. Employee representatives have entered into clear agreements concerning seniority, employee turnover, health and safety at work as well as work schedule policies.
Bombardier Recreational Products employees are paid based on competitive salary scales and grades. Employees receive pay raises equal to the average annual salary increase granted by eight Québec manufacturing companies who bargain collectively with their employees. Regardless of the business conditions, this system is fair for both the employer and the employees, and all benefit from it.
This year, Bombardier Recreational Products gave all its plant employees a bonus equivalent to 5.8% of their annual salary based on 1999 results. This bonus is given within the framework of the "Success-Sharing Program", which has been in place since 1994. Plant employees can receive up to 10% of their annual base salary.
"Respect and dialogue are the foundations of our labour relations system and we are proud of our record," said Mr. Pelletier. "Like every company, we must deal with challenges and priorities, and we work with our employees to find the best possible solutions. If, as an employer, Bombardier had not kept its word and had not abided by its agreements, it is clear that our employees would have expressed their will to change the system long ago."
For over a year, the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux (CSN) has been attempting to make contact with Bombardier Recreational Products employees in Valcourt to affiliate them with the central labour body. The CSN has used different tactics to make people believe that management has not respected its employees and that an atmosphere of terror has prevailed in Valcourt.
"The working atmosphere is very positive at the Valcourt plant," said Claude Beaudin, Vice President, Human Resources, for the ATV, Snowmobiles and Watercraft divisions of Bombardier Recreational Products in Valcourt. "For over a year and a half, the CSN has wanted people to believe that our employees are not well represented. The truth is that the CSN has not yet filed an application for certification since it did not succeed in convincing enough employees to sign membership cards. As for us, we respect and will always respect our employees' choice regarding their representation," concluded Mr. Beaudin.
Bombardier Recreational Products has some 4,700 employees worldwide, of which 2,800 work in Valcourt.
Bombardier Recreational Products designs, develops, builds, distributes and markets Ski-Doo® and Lynx® snowmobiles, snowgrooming equipment and multi-purpose tracked vehicles, Sea-Doo® watercraft and sport boats, Bombardier all-terrain vehicles and Bombardier NVTM neighborhood vehicles. Snowmobiles, ATV, watercraft and some sport boats are powered by Rotax® engines that are designed and built by Bombardier-Rotax GmbH which also builds motors for motorcycles and scooters.
Bombardier Inc., a diversified manufacturing and service company, is a world leading manufacturer of business jets, regional aircraft, rail transportation equipment and motorized recreational products. It is also a provider of financial services and asset management. The Corporation employs 56,000 people in 12 countries in North America, Europe and Asia, and more than 90% of its revenues are generated outside Canada. Bombardier's revenues for its fiscal year ended Jan. 31, 2000 totalled $13.6 billion.
®, TM Trademarks of Bombardier Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.