Members of the Toronto Civic Employees Union (TCEU), Local 416 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 416) today ratified a four-year collective agreement with the City of Toronto.
“The City came to the bargaining table with a long list of demands for concessions and clawbacks, in the hopes of provoking our members into a negative reaction. Our members refused to take their bait, and when the employer finally sat down and negotiated, we successfully beat back most of what the City threw at us,” Mark Ferguson, president of CUPE 416 said following the vote.
“With this contract now settled, our members can continue to provide the great public services Torontonians rely on. They understood the importance of reaching consensus and finding common ground in this difficult round of negotiations,” he added.
Highlights of the new four-year agreement include six per cent in wage improvements, an interest arbitration mechanism for EMS workers and the retention of employment security provisions for permanent employees with 15 years or more of service.
Ferguson thanked members, his bargaining team and the residents of Toronto for their support during what he characterized as, “Perhaps the toughest negotiations ever undertaken by a local municipal union in Canadian history.”
“In the end, it was their commitment to the quality public services that make Toronto a great place to live that made this agreement possible,” said Ferguson.
For further information:
Kevin Wilson
CUPE Communications
416-821-6641
kwilson@cupe.ca