Posted: Monday, July 20, 2015 8:27 pm Daily Courier Staff
Unionized employees at the Regional District of Central Okanagan will get raises totalling 8.5 per cent over the next five years.The regional board and Canadian Union of Public Employees, local 338 regional district unit, have ratified a five-year contract that was reached after two days of bargaining last month. The agreement runs through Dec. 31, 2019 and provides a general wage increase of two per cent retroactive to Jan. 1 with annual increases on March 31 in the following years: 2016 – 1.5 per cent; 2017 – 1.5 per cent; 2018 – 2 per cent; and 2019 – 1.5 per cent. The contract also includes some adjustments in language and clarity. “This agreement is consistent with other local government labour settlements negotiated in our area and provides competitive wages for our employees,” said regional district chairwoman Gail Given in a news release. “The new agreement is prudent for taxpayers and is fiscally responsible, falling within the five-year financial plan that was approved by the regional board in March.” “The new agreement balances the needs of CUPE local 338 and the RDCO,” said Scott Bruce, CUPE 338 vice president. CUPE members voted 95 per cent in favour of ratification. The unit has 84 full- and part-time members.
Showing posts with label union salaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label union salaries. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Fewer staff, large salaries highlight report
by Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star posted Jun 25, 2014 at 1:00 AM
The City of Vernon has fewer employees but big bucks are still being paid out. The city’s 2013 annual report shows that the number of employees has dropped from 321 to 305 full-time equivalents in a year, while total compensation has dropped from $21.46 million in 2012 to $21.2 million. “It is what it is,” said Coun. Bob Spiers, adding that the reduction in staff reflects some water treatment positions being transferred to the regional district. In the annual report, there are 84 employees who earned more than $75,000, with 28 of them coming from the fire department. “This is the same in all communities where there is a career firefighting force,” said Brent Bond, Vernon Professional Firefighters Association president. Bond says part of the wage increase for firefighters is because retroactive pay for 2010 and 2011 was received in 2013. “The city also chooses to operate on minimum staffing levels and pay overtime.” Vernon’s career firefighters work 42 hours a week, compared to 35 hours for other civic staff. “When you break down the hourly rate, we’re within the level of most trades,” said Bond. Topping the list of employees earning more than $75,000 was Will Pearce, the city’s chief administrative officer, with $178,131 in wages and expenses. That is followed by fire chief Keith Green with $133,655 in wages, firefighter Reinhard Mann at a total of $131,200, Bond, who is a firefighter, at $130,671, and finance manager Kevin Bertles at a total of $126,809. Mayor Rob Sawatzky admits some residents may question the increasing salaries at city hall. “The cost of living and wage settlements continue to rise,” he said, adding that retaining and attracting staff is important. “We agonize over the cost every year and we try to keep the budget within limitations but we have to deal with the realities of the day. We have to compete with the market.” Sawatzky added that staff increases fall within the 1.8 per cent budget cap established by council. The annual report will be the focus of a public input session July 14 at 4:30 p.m. at city hall.
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http://vernonblog.blogspot.ca/2014/06/2013-annual-report-draft-city-of-vernon.html
The City of Vernon has fewer employees but big bucks are still being paid out. The city’s 2013 annual report shows that the number of employees has dropped from 321 to 305 full-time equivalents in a year, while total compensation has dropped from $21.46 million in 2012 to $21.2 million. “It is what it is,” said Coun. Bob Spiers, adding that the reduction in staff reflects some water treatment positions being transferred to the regional district. In the annual report, there are 84 employees who earned more than $75,000, with 28 of them coming from the fire department. “This is the same in all communities where there is a career firefighting force,” said Brent Bond, Vernon Professional Firefighters Association president. Bond says part of the wage increase for firefighters is because retroactive pay for 2010 and 2011 was received in 2013. “The city also chooses to operate on minimum staffing levels and pay overtime.” Vernon’s career firefighters work 42 hours a week, compared to 35 hours for other civic staff. “When you break down the hourly rate, we’re within the level of most trades,” said Bond. Topping the list of employees earning more than $75,000 was Will Pearce, the city’s chief administrative officer, with $178,131 in wages and expenses. That is followed by fire chief Keith Green with $133,655 in wages, firefighter Reinhard Mann at a total of $131,200, Bond, who is a firefighter, at $130,671, and finance manager Kevin Bertles at a total of $126,809. Mayor Rob Sawatzky admits some residents may question the increasing salaries at city hall. “The cost of living and wage settlements continue to rise,” he said, adding that retaining and attracting staff is important. “We agonize over the cost every year and we try to keep the budget within limitations but we have to deal with the realities of the day. We have to compete with the market.” Sawatzky added that staff increases fall within the 1.8 per cent budget cap established by council. The annual report will be the focus of a public input session July 14 at 4:30 p.m. at city hall.
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http://vernonblog.blogspot.ca/2014/06/2013-annual-report-draft-city-of-vernon.html
Thursday, May 22, 2014
CUPE workers vote to strike
by Wayne Moore CASTANET - May 22, 2014 / 9:24 am
Kelowna's unionized workers have given their bargaining committee an overwhelming strike mandate. Members of CUPE Local 338 voted 94 per cent in favour of job action Wednesday night. The City of Kelowna workers have been without a contract since Dec 31, 2013. "Now the real work begins for us to get back to the bargaining table," local president Lee Mossman said in a brief email confirming the results. In a note to members, Mossman said negotiations on a new contract have reached an impasse and, "given the separation between the parties it was best to go back to the membership for direction and suspend bargaining until they received that direction." The last agreement between CUPE and the city was reached in January of 2011 and afforded workers a 1.25% increase in 2010 and 2011 followed by a 1.5% increase in 2012 and 2013. It took more than a year to negotiate that contract. A deal in that case was finally reached through the assistance of a mediator.
Kelowna's unionized workers have given their bargaining committee an overwhelming strike mandate. Members of CUPE Local 338 voted 94 per cent in favour of job action Wednesday night. The City of Kelowna workers have been without a contract since Dec 31, 2013. "Now the real work begins for us to get back to the bargaining table," local president Lee Mossman said in a brief email confirming the results. In a note to members, Mossman said negotiations on a new contract have reached an impasse and, "given the separation between the parties it was best to go back to the membership for direction and suspend bargaining until they received that direction." The last agreement between CUPE and the city was reached in January of 2011 and afforded workers a 1.25% increase in 2010 and 2011 followed by a 1.5% increase in 2012 and 2013. It took more than a year to negotiate that contract. A deal in that case was finally reached through the assistance of a mediator.
Saturday, January 11, 2014
City, union have tentative agreement
By: Andrea Klassen in Municipal Government News Kamloops This Week January 10, 2014
Unionized workers at the City of Kamloops could have a new contract by Wednesday, Jan. 15. City CAO David Trawin said members of CUPE 900 will meet on Monday, Jan. 13, to review the terms of the new deal, with a ratification vote set for Wednesday. City council has already ratified the terms.The city’s previous contract with the union expired on Dec. 31, 2013. Trawin said the new deal was tentatively reached just before Christmas. While he wouldn’t get in to specifics, Trawin said the deal won’t require major revisions to the city’s budget as deliberations begin in earnest at city hall. “I don’t think it makes much change to the budget. We knew there were negotiations,” he said. “We’re always diligent putting numbers in and there’s enough changes in the budget with things going up and down that it’ll kind of balance out, anyway.” Trawin called negotiations between the two sides respectful, noting both the city and the union moved from their initial positions to come to an agreement. “I guess I’m satisfied and I’m not satisfied, and I know the union’s satisfied and not satisfied, which probably means we’ve got a pretty reasonable settlement,” Trawin said. Kamloops is working on getting a new contract signed just as Prince George reached an agreement with its unionized empoyees. Prince George council ratified the agreement that saw union members vote 88 per cent in favour of the deal. The term of the agreement on Prince George is from Jan. 1, 2013, through to December 31, 2016, with a 0.5 per cent lump-sum payment for 2013; a 0.75 per cent wage increase for 2014; a two per cent wage increase for 2015 and a two per cent increase for 2016. If CUPE agrees to the contract in Kamloops, the city will have a short break before it returns to the bargaining table. Arbitration with the city’s firefighters is scheduled to being in mid-April. The firefighters have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2010.
Unionized workers at the City of Kamloops could have a new contract by Wednesday, Jan. 15. City CAO David Trawin said members of CUPE 900 will meet on Monday, Jan. 13, to review the terms of the new deal, with a ratification vote set for Wednesday. City council has already ratified the terms.The city’s previous contract with the union expired on Dec. 31, 2013. Trawin said the new deal was tentatively reached just before Christmas. While he wouldn’t get in to specifics, Trawin said the deal won’t require major revisions to the city’s budget as deliberations begin in earnest at city hall. “I don’t think it makes much change to the budget. We knew there were negotiations,” he said. “We’re always diligent putting numbers in and there’s enough changes in the budget with things going up and down that it’ll kind of balance out, anyway.” Trawin called negotiations between the two sides respectful, noting both the city and the union moved from their initial positions to come to an agreement. “I guess I’m satisfied and I’m not satisfied, and I know the union’s satisfied and not satisfied, which probably means we’ve got a pretty reasonable settlement,” Trawin said. Kamloops is working on getting a new contract signed just as Prince George reached an agreement with its unionized empoyees. Prince George council ratified the agreement that saw union members vote 88 per cent in favour of the deal. The term of the agreement on Prince George is from Jan. 1, 2013, through to December 31, 2016, with a 0.5 per cent lump-sum payment for 2013; a 0.75 per cent wage increase for 2014; a two per cent wage increase for 2015 and a two per cent increase for 2016. If CUPE agrees to the contract in Kamloops, the city will have a short break before it returns to the bargaining table. Arbitration with the city’s firefighters is scheduled to being in mid-April. The firefighters have been without a contract since Dec. 31, 2010.
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