CUPE 1293, the union representing inside and outside workers in the town of Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Quebec, signed a renewal of their collective agreement. The municipality is located in Jamésie in the Northern Quebec administrative region.
“We had to come up with solutions that were a win-win for both the union and the employer. The elected officials want a municipality that offers good services, and our members are asking for decent working conditions to keep them from leaving. We met the requirements of both parties,” said CUPE representative Geneviève Carrier.
This six-year collective agreement, which runs from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2028, calls for wage increases of 19% and improvements to all premiums. Starting in 2024, the employer’s contribution to drug insurance premiums will be raised. Accessibility to social leave was improved, and office employees, going forward, will be working a 4.5-day work week all year long.
The Town of Lebel-sur-Quévillon has a population of slightly more than 2100 and was among the hardest hit by the forest fires this summer, which delayed the signing of the collective agreement by a few months. The employees, who themselves were evacuated for a few weeks, are seeing to it, each in their own way, that quality services to the public can resume as quickly as possible, which speaks to their professionalism.