News Release

(Wednesday, July 4/2001)-- Halifax Regional Council this morning approved terms of a collective agreement with the union representing its 530 outside workers for a new four-year labour contract.

CUPE Local 108 Halifax Civic Workers Union ratified terms of the agreement at a meeting last night.

The new agreement will provide workers with an 11.4 per cent wage increase over four years (which includes a $500 signing bonus for each member of the Local.) The employees will see about a 3.5 per cent increase in the first year, retroactive to November, 2000; and 2.5 per cent increases in each of the remaining three years of the agreement. The total increase works out to $1.50 an hour across-the-board wage hike over four years.

Other aspects of the contract dealt with contracting out; technological change in the workplace; scheduling; and ice and snow control issues.

Mayor Peter Kelly commended both HRM Chief Negotiator David Reid and CUPE Local 108 Business Agent Larry Power and members of their respective negotiating teams for their tremendous hard work and effort over the past number of months in trying to reach an agreement.

The Mayor said "Council believes that this agreement is fair and reasonable for the municipality's outside workers, and it is line with settlements reached with other civic worker groups. We are delighted that the sides were able to reach agreement without a work stoppage, and that there was no disruption in the delivery of services to our residents."

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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010