Earlier today CUPE 2915, outside workers with the Town of Baie-Comeau, signed their new six-year collective agreement, which runs from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2029. This marks a historic moment for the local, as all employees with the Société des parcs de Baie-Comeau and students doing manual work are now a part of its union accreditation.
“Both parties had candid and respectful exchanges during the negotiations that took place over several months. This has led us to today’s signing of this contract, which we’re very satisfied with,” said Éric St-Gelais, president of CUPE 2915.
The employer and the union tackled the mammoth task of evaluating and incorporating each of the positions and establishing a new salary scale, including the sorely needed wage catch-up to raise compensation to a level that is both equitable and competitive on the job market. Much to the satisfaction of the membership, broader outreach was achieved in many respects in 2023. The new contract calls for annual increases of 2.5% for 2024 to 2027 and 3% for the last year.
“In addition to improving working conditions, this collective agreement puts many positions on more secure footing, which is one of the ways of retaining employees with the Town of Baie-Comeau,” said St-Gelais.