Six hundred CUPE school board employees employed by the Edmonton public school board ratified a new collective agreement.
The two-year deal, approved by both sides June 30 provides for wage increases of three per cent when the contract takes effect September 1 and a further two per cent in 1999. It also extends until 2003 a clause that prevents the board from contracting out jobs.
A tentative agreement was reached after only four bargaining meetings, the quickest round of negotiations the two sides have experienced,
The workers are members of CUPE Local 474.