FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Release – April 19, 2008

The employees of Interprovincial Cooperative Ltd. (IPCO) represented by CEP Local 341 this morning ratified a new three-year Collective Agreement that improves wages by nine percent, beefs up the pension, and increases shift premiums.

Local 341 represents about 150 workers at IPCO, a chemical formulating plant for agricultural chemicals that is owned by, and supplies, other cooperatives. The new deal, which expires Nov. 30, 2010, gives a three per cent raise in each year of the contract. The first year’s three percent wage increase is retroactive to Dec. 2, 2007.

The deal also addresses a pension problem the Union felt was a disincentive for employees to stay with IPCO. The Cooperative is largely a seasonal operation from November through June, and annual layoffs reduce the staff to fewer than 20 workers. Increased contributions from the Employer toward a retirement plan address the concern of retaining workers from season to season.

The contract achieves higher shift premiums, better safety boot allowances and a letter in the agreement addresses the members’ concerns over medicals that monitor employees’ exposure to plant chemicals. The deal also includes language that addresses communication issues with workers who are laid off annually.

CEP Local 341 represents about 550 workers in commercial print and manufacturing. CEP represents 150,000 working people coast to coast in energy, paper, telecommunications, media and graphics.

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