Workers at Community Living Renfrew County South reach first tentative agreement

RENFREW, ON, June 23, 2016 /CNW/ - After 13 months of bargaining, some 100 developmental services workers with Community Living Renfrew County South have achieved a first tentative agreement.

OPSEU Local 472 member Derek Ouellette, chair of the bargaining team, is pleased with the outcome resulting from many months of bargaining:

"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."

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

"I'm proud of the bargaining team for persevering and achieving this deal," said OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas. "All sides win here, and that's what we want."

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 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., at Days Inn Renfrew, 760 Gibbons Rd. Renfrew, Ontario.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)

Derek Ouelette 613-315-4702