C.U.P.E. local 358 and the Municipality of North Cowichan have ratified a new four-year collective agreement.
The sticking point in negotiations centred around the provincial government’s announcement, effective January 1, 2018, that M.S.P. premiums would be cut in half.
Employees wanted those cost-savings directed at their benefits and C.U.P.E. national representative and lead negotiator, Ian McLean says this is a good deal that runs through 2020.
McLean says the key to reaching this deal was some key adjustments.
The four-year contract dates back to January 1, 2017, of this year.
While the deal with the Municipality of North Cowichan has been signed off on, C.U.P.E. local 358 still needs to reach agreements with the Cowichan Valley Regional District and City of Duncan.
McLean says the next step in reaching an agreement with the regional district involves a report.
He says talks with C.V.R.D. representatives is progressing and both sides are getting closer to reaching an agreement.
There are 210 union workers left without contracts, 30 in the City of Duncan and 180 at the C.V.R.D.
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