City and CUPE ratify collective agreement

Jan. 24, 2011

New agreement covers Jan 1, 2010 through Dec 31, 2013

The City of Kelowna and CUPE Local 338 have reached an agreement following mediation for a new four-year collective agreement covering January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. CUPE 338 members will receive a 1.25 per cent increase in both 2010 and 2011 and a 1.5 per cent increase in both 2012 and 2013."The City feels the agreement is fair to employees considering the current economic climate, length of the agreement and relative to other public sector collective agreements," says Paul Macklem, General Manager of Corporate Sustainability. "On balance, the four-year agreement ensures continuity of service to our citizens for an extended period of time within the City's current budget." CUPE Local 338 members ratified the agreement on Sunday, Jan. 23. City Council approved the terms on Monday, Jan. 24 following CUPE's endorsement. "The agreement took over one year to reach," notes CUPE Local 338 president Brent Soroka. "Although negotiations were a struggle, CUPE believes the agreement reflects fairness for the workers who provide a variety of core services that the citizens of Kelowna rely on." CUPE Local 338 has 615 full-time, part-time and casual members.