GUELPH – The County of Wellington and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 973 have ratified a one-year collective agreement for social services staff.
The CUPE Local represents around 160 county social services staff who work in Ontario Works, housing and children’s early years.
Wellington County council ratified the agreement, retroactive to Jan. 1, earlier this week at a council meeting held July 31.
It includes a 3.95 per cent “economic adjustment,” vacation and benefit enhancements and “significant wording changes,” according to a county memo that did not provide additional details.
But the new agreement expires at the end of the year, on Dec. 31, requiring the county and union to soon return to the bargaining table to hash out a new collective agreement.
CUPE Local 973 vice president James Cassidy told the Advertiser the union has been bargaining since the beginning of the year.
Talks broke down, and the union’s membership unanimously voted in April to strike.
Both sides returned to bargaining in May, but still unable reach a deal, the union filed for conciliation with the provincial labour ministry and met on July 24.
“CUPE 973 and the [county] were able to reach a tentative deal after the first day of conciliation,” Cassidy stated in an email.
On July 26, 76% of the union members voted to accept the agreement.
“We will be returning back to the bargaining table in early 2024 to work with the [county] on reaching a new collective agreement,” Cassidy wrote.
