VICTORIA — Over 1,200 workers for the Capital Regional District (CRD) have ratified a new collective agreement. Members of CUPE 1978 voted in favour of ratifying the agreement reached on February 24, after 12 months of bargaining. The Greater Victoria Labour Relations Association Board of Directors ratified the agreement on March 16.
“CUPE 1978 members in the CRD play a crucial role in delivering vital public services that over 460,000 people depend on every day. This new collective agreement acknowledges how important their role is with significant improvements these workers deserve,” says Mauricio Navarrete, president of CUPE 1978. “Our bargaining committee has done excellent work in addressing our key priorities in bargaining and helping protect and strengthen public services.”
The 3-year agreement includes general wage increases and improved benefits for all members, improved working conditions for caretakers, and new protections for auxiliary workers facing greater job precarity.
The Capital Regional District is the regional government for 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. CUPE 1978 members deliver a wide range of services, including regional parks and recreation, water supply, solid waste management, affordable housing, planning, transportation, and emergency response.
