The 5,500 members of the Syndicat des spécialistes et professionnels d’Hydro-Québec (SSPHQ-CUPE 4250) have a new collective agreement. At a general meeting, 87% voted to ratify the tentative agreement, reached on December 19, that covers the period from January 2025 to December 2029.
“This negotiation was a paradigm shift for us,” explained Gilles Cazade, president of SSPHQ-CUPE 4250. “Despite the difficult political context and turnover at the helm of this Crown corporation, we used innovative pressure tactics, reframed labour relations and took great strides in member mobilization. We also obtained provisions that will enable us to better control contracting out and protect Hydro-Québec’s in-house expertise. Our members were motivated, they showed up and they made the difference. This puts us in a good position for the next negotiations.”
Negotiated gains include a compounded wage increase of at least 18.4% for 2024–2029, and the introduction of new promotion lines for specialists. Further, a clause provides employees with flexibility in choosing most of their work-from-home days, and a 12-month pilot project will explore increased use of satellite offices and maximized occupation of Hydro-Québec premises.