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Saturday machinists will vote on whether to accept a new contract offer and go back to work at Bombardier. Machinists have been on strike for a month.
With the help of a federal mediator, the two sides reached an agreement. The main issue in the first contract was health care costs.
The union says under the latest contract offer, the employees share of their health insurance premium went from 30% to 15% with a wellness program.
"The main improvements to the company proposal were related to health care," said Machinists Union Spokesman Bob Wood. "The employee share of premium, which is taken as a bi-weekly payroll reduction, was reduced from 30% to 20% of the total premium. In addition the company has proposed an extra 5% savings for employees who participate in the wellness program. This brings the employee share of premiums down to 15% for those employees who participate in the wellness program. With these improvements employee's with single coverage will see a $700 per year reduction in health insurance payroll deductions, and employees with family coverage will see a $2,300 annual savings compared to the company's pre-strike offer".
Union members will vote on the new contract Saturday. The vote will be from 11-2 at the District Union Hall.
"I'm very excited. I'm ready to go back to work. I hope it's an improvement. I hear it is an improvement from the original contract that we voted against and I'm hopeful," one worker told Eyewitness News Thursday night.