SURREY – Civic workers in Surrey voted overwhelmingly (89%) today to accept the tentative agreement recommended by their bargaining committee. The City of Surrey does not employ the GVRD Labour Relations Bureau, but instead negotiated this agreement in direct talks with CUPE 402. City of Surrey Council unanimously ratified the agreement on Friday, August 3, 2007.
“Clearly our members are happy with this settlement,” says Laurie Larsen, CUPE 402 president. “We set out to get a fair contract with important improvements and the city agreed that certain improvements were necessary and beneficial. This agreement is the result of some good hard bargaining.”
The settlement shares the same wage and term as the contracts reached in Richmond, Delta, Burnaby and North Vancouver, that is a 17.5 per cent wage increase (18.76 per cent compounded) over a five-year term. It also includes many improvements that were identified as priorities by the 1,700 city workers – such as improved benefits like vision care, expanded vacation time, and better shift pay.
Civic workers in Richmond, Burnaby, Delta and North Vancouver have also ratified their agreements. Details of the North Vancouver settlements have yet to be released as the union local (CUPE 389) is waiting for the North Vancouver Recreation Commission Board to first ratify the agreement some time this week.
Contact:
Laurie Larsen, CUPE 402 president, 604-230-3757
Diane Kalen, CUPE Communications, 778-229-0258
Details of the collective agreement signed between the City of Surrey and CUPE 402.
