Employees of the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal, OMHM, have signed a new five-year contract. Negotiations have led to an evaluation system intended to instill new value into manual professions. As a result, the 320 or so employees will receive wage increases of 8.8% for 2024, 2.6% for 2025, 2.5% for 2026, 3.5% for 2027 and for 2028, the minimum 2% granted by the Société d’habitation du Québec.
“This is a rare piece of good news in the housing sector,” said Jean-Pierre Lauzon, president of CUPE 301, the Syndicat des cols bleus regroupés de Montréal. “The people who work at the OMHM play a vital role in managing rental housing and housing programs. Their high-quality services improve the living conditions of low-income families and individuals.”
In addition to the wage increases, the bargaining committee significantly improved several clauses, including those concerning leave, banked hours and early retirement.
“Bargaining went well,” added Lauzon. “Labour relations are good at OMHM. For several years now, a partnership clause has facilitated discussion between the parties and included the union in organizational talks. It’s a good model.”
Lauzon congratulated his bargaining team: union director Alexandre Belval, bargaining officer Syndie Ouellette, assistant union director Jean-Marc Ponton and CUPE representative Marc-Etienne Carrier.