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OTTAWA Teaching and research assistants at the University of Ottawa, members of Local 2626 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), have ratified their first collective agreement with a vote of 92%, in favour of the deal.

“Its an excellent contract with important wage improvements and better protection for the workplace rights of these 1,200 workers,” says Patrick Mercier, president of Local 2626. “Its also the first time in North America that soft-funded research assistants have been included in a unions collective agreement.”

CUPE organized the 1,200 workers in April of 1997. “Negotiations took almost three years to complete, but the results were well worth it,” added Mercier.

The largest union in Canada, CUPE represents 475,000 workers in the public sector across the country, including the education, health, municipal services and broader public sectors.

For further information, please contact:
Patrick Mercier, (613) 562-5345
Robert Lamoureux, (416) 292-3999

OPEIU 491