78 Percent Back New City Deal

September 20,2007 107.5 kiss FM (Pete McIntyre)

The city of Vernon has a new contract with its unionized workforce.The CUPE Local 626 members voted 78 percent in favour of the new five year deal that runs to December 31, 2011. The new agreement includes a wage increase of 16 percent over the term, improved benefits and a five hundred dollar signing bonus.It's retroactive to January 1, 2007 when the former deal expired, and covers 200 full and part time city workers.Local 626 president Ken Juniper doesn't put any significance into the level of support for the new deal, 78 percent."I don't think you will ever get a contract that makes everybody happy.That's unfortunate. It would be wonderful for everybody if we could but that's not the case."City administrator Leon Gous called the negotiations a cooperative and positive process.