Unionized workers have ratified a new contract with the City of Mount Pearl, bringing an end to their strike which began July 7.
A tentative deal was announced on Sunday, but in separate news releases Tuesday night, both the city and CUPE said the contract had been accepted by the membership, although the exact vote count was not released.
“This collective agreement is the result of months of hard work and dedication toward reaching a contract that is fair and balanced to all parties involved,” said Mayor Dave Aker.
“Council would like to thank our residents and community groups for their patience as we worked to deliver an agreement that focused on the sustainability of our services.”
The new deal covers the period from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2026 and includes a 9 per cent wage increase, a reduction in sick-leave days from 21 to 18 days, the introduction of two personal leave days for employees, an increased A meal allowance from $15 to $17, and an increase from four to six employees scheduled for weekend maintenance and snow-clearing during the winter season.
The union called the wage increase “modest,” adding employees would return to work Wednesday morning.
The city, however, says a return-to-work plan will include a phased approach toward resumption of services, adding details will be announced “in the coming days.”
CUPE 2099 president Ken Turner said members are looking forward to getting back to serving the community they love.
“We’ll be working with the employer to see that the agreed upon ‘return to work’ is implemented, ensuring a smooth transition back into the workplace,” said Turner, who thanked the bargaining committee for their hard work and praised members for their support and solidarity.
“We believe this is a fair deal for our members, the city, and residents.”
CUPE 2099 represents more than 200 municipal workers who work in recreation services, administration, taxation and finance, road maintenance, water and sewage, facilities maintenance, landscape maintenance, as well as engineering and planning.