The District of 100 Mile House and the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE Local 959) have reached a five-year collective agreement effective March 1, 2018.
District Chief Administrative Officer Roy Scott, who along with Councillor Ralph Fossum and now retired IUOE president Alice Tresierra, led negotiations, says he’s excited
“It’s the second time we’ve reached a five-year agreement with our employees and they’ve been awesome to work with in terms of collective bargaining and being fair to the community and it’s taxpayers.”
The agreement affects all District IUOE 959 workers and runs from March 1, 2018 to December 31, 2022 and provides for a 6 per cent wage increase over the five year period (one per cent in each year except for 2022, when it’s two).
“It’s an agreement that is fair and equitable to both parties and sustainable for our taxpayers over time.”
There will be minimal impact on an annual basis, says Scott, but will add a bit to the bottom line over time.
“It’s less than the rate of inflation quite frankly so we’re well positioned to absorb the additional cost. [I] don’t see it impacting tax rates.”
The agreement affects about 15 employees, says Scott. He adds that the last time they did a comparison, wages were competitive but can’t say where it stands presently.
newsroom@100milefreepress.net
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