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CUPE, Nakusp agree to new contract

There’s labour peace in the village for two more years
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Village of Nakusp CUPE members voted on a contract offer in November. After rejecting the first offer, they ratified a new one Monday. (File photo)

The Village of Nakusp and the union representing its workforce have settled a new five-year contract.

Union workers voted 75 per cent in favour of the agreement at a meeting on Monday. Village councillors also ratified the deal at their regular meeting the same night.

The agreement, which runs from August 2015 to July 2020, includes a wage increase of 8.75 per cent over the five-year period. Workers will see a 1.5 per cent increase retroactively for the first two years, 1.75 per cent for this year, and 2.0 per cent for the last two years of the contract.

There were also housekeeping changes to the contract language.

“Council values all of our employees, management and union alike,” said Mayor Karen Hamling. “The Village and the Union have reached an agreement that is fair not only to our workers but also to our taxpayers.”

But some tensions remain and will have to be worked out, said CUPE 2450 president Andy Cruden.

“This has been a long and challenging round of negotiations,” said Cruden. “However, we are pleased to finally have a new agreement in place and we are now prepared to focus our attention on rebuilding our working relationship with the Village.”

The contract affects about 23 CUPE members who do public works, water and wastewater, parks and recreation, and administration work.


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