The some 17 white and blue-collar workers in the Municipality of Nominingue, which is located in the Laurentian administrative region, signed their new collective agreement today. At a general meeting last February 3, they unanimously voted in favour of the tentative agreement reached by the parties.
The eight-year contract calls for wage increases averaging out to 2.3% per year or up to a maximum of 2.43% based on the Quebec CPI. Other gains were made, including the creation of a permanent public works position and the in-house repatriation of snow removal and abrasive application on sidewalks effective in 2020.
The union and the employer negotiated a letter of intent dealing specifically with snow removal and the application of abrasives. The union conceded on the issue of double time for work on Sunday, employer-provided clothing to white-collar workers and the payment of wages every two weeks.
The membership also upgraded the positions of drinking water technician and the labour-operator during snow removal periods.
“Negotiations were difficult at times, but with the assistance of a mediator, meetings took place in a respectful environment, and we were able to reach a good collective agreement. In addition, the parties agreed to defer the work atmosphere issue to mediation with the Ministry of Labour,” said CUPE union representative Stéphane Paré.