Workers at Community Living Renfrew County South reach first tentative agreement

Includes improvements to wages, benefits, working conditions

After 13 months of bargaining, some 100 developmental services workers with Community Living Renfrew County South have achieved a first tentative agreement.

"This is a good deal, and we got to it with the continued backing of our members over a long stretch of 13 months. We started with an 89 per cent strike mandate, and that strength made us a force to be reckoned with,” said Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 472 member Derek Ouellette, chair of the bargaining team, is pleased with the outcome resulting from many months of bargaining:

The two-year agreement beginning April 1, 2016, provides significant improvements to wages, benefits and working conditions for members, including:

  • a $1.20 -per-hour wage increase for all job classifications
  • 20 cents per hour retroactive pay for all employees for all hours worked from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2016
  • job security, seniority and layoff and recall language
  • a comprehensive grievance procedure 
  • a comprehensive process for requests and approval of vacation time
  • a new "sunset clause" that removes letters placed on members' files by the employer
  • movement through a wage grid that has been frozen since 2007

Local 472 members work in the towns of Renfrew  and Arnprior, supporting people who have developmental disabilities. They have been OPSEU members since August 2014. The ratification vote will take place June 27.

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