While union locals representing hundreds of Tri-City municipal workers continue to hash out new terms for collective agreements, a neighbouring city has clinched a deal for its workers.
Today (Thursday), New Westminster and CUPE Local 387 announced its had reached a four-year contract — effective Jan. 1, 2016 — that will see an overall wage boost of 7%: 1.5% in 2016, 1.5% in 2017, 2% in 2018 and 2% in 2019.
According to a press release, unionized staff ratified the agreement with 95% support; it has also been endorsed by New Westminster city council, the police board and the New Westminster Public Library Board.
The move comes after Surrey ratified its contract last November with CUPE Local 402 (9% over five years); Burnaby okayed its agreement with CUPE Local 23 last August (7% over four years); and Vancouver approved its deal with CUPE Local 1004, representing outside workers, last April (7% over four years).
In the Tri-Cities, all three union contracts expired Jan. 1, 2016, with their respective cities.
Coquitlam has yet to meet; however, Nikki Caulfield, the city's director of corporate and personnel planning, said negotiations are expected to begin this year (a request for comment from CUPE Local 386 was not returned).
Port Coquitlam met six times last year with committee officials from CUPE Local 498 — representing about 350 members — and again on Tuesday. Details of negotiations are not being made public, PoCo CAO John Leeburn said.
And, in Port Moody, Local 825 president Irene Jakse said her executive met this week to follow up on last year's six discussions with the employer. Negotiations are slow because of the change in the CAO position, she said.
CUPE BC communications representative Kathryn Davies said CUPE BC typically does not get involved with local table bargaining.
Lower Mainland municipal bargaining got underway in September of 2015 in Surrey, marking the start of negotiations for more than 17,000 unionized staff throughout the region. In total, there are 21 CUPE locals at 30 tables with 20 municipalities including Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
