VANCOUVER—The members of CUPE Local 2950 at the University of British Columbia have ratified a new collective agreement. The vote tallied this afternoon was 90% in favour of the four-year deal.
CUPE 2950 represents1,500 clerical, library and hospital staff at UBC. They signed a tentative collective agreement last week. The deal includes wage increases of 0-0-2-2% over four years.
Highlights of the deal:
- No concessions
- No wage increases for the first two years (2010, 2011) under the provincial Net Zero Mandate
- 2% wage increase retroactive to April 1, 2012
- 2% wage increase on April 1, 2013*
- *2.25% for Chan Centre workers in the final year (starting April 1, 2013) to help move their wage grid more in line with Industry standards
The agreement also includes an Employment Insurance rebate to be placed on the wage grid, a revision of retirement language to include the right to work past age 65 and clarification of the status of temporary workers.
The deal must still be ratified by employer, expected to be completed by late Monday. The agreement is the first reached by CUPE support workers at BC universities in the current round of bargaining. The last contract expired in 2010.
CUPE 2950 president Nancy Forhan said she is “relieved” to finally have a deal and getting it ratified, crediting “the hard work of our contract committee and the unwavering support of our members” through a 2 ½ year process bogged down by government mandates.
“This is the best deal we feel we could get, given the amount of political interference from Victoria,” said Forhan. “Now we get ready to go back to the table next year.”
