NEWS RELEASE – February 17, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Collective Agreement Good for Workers, the Town, and Taxpayers
On February 12, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose and CUPE Local 2019 concluded negotiations on a new collective agreement. The 11th Council accepted the agreement in a public meeting today, after CUPE Local 2019 had already voted to ratify the offer.
The three-year agreement, accepted by town workers last Thursday, will see a wage increase of 11.5 per cent, changes to the Defined Benefit Pension Plan so that it is now cost shared, a shift differential premium, a new recruitment and retention clause, and an enhanced Letter of Intent that will provide more essential services should a labour disruption happen in the future. Workers will also receive $1,000 to help offset any hardship experienced during the month-long labour disruption.
“In the short term we were pleased, as the negotiating team was able to stay within the Town’s 2015 budget without having to increase taxes,” says Mayor Jamie Snook. “In the long term we have started on the right path to address the historical pension plan funding issues, as this agreement will see the plan cost shared between the Town and municipal workers.”
The Mayor wishes to thank residents for their patience and understanding during the labour disruption.
“This was a very trying time for our community,” he says. “We’ve always maintained that any agreement had to be a fair one for employees, for the Town, and for taxpayers. We believe we have accomplished that goal.”
The Town will now begin focusing on getting operations back to normal, and moving forward with an aggressive agenda that will see some major Capital Works projects get under way this year, including paving and road resurfacing, a new splash pad for Kinsmen Park, improvements to water and sewer, trail systems, green spaces, and playground upgrades. The Town is also expecting the Wellness Centre Phase II Study to be completed this quarter.
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