AUPE Edmonton Catholic Schools support workers ratify agreement
EDMONTON – Support workers employed by the Edmonton Catholic Separate School District, members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, have ratified a five-year collective agreement that includes significant pay increases and many other improvements.
“This collective agreement will raise the bar for custodial, trades, maintenance, warehouse and cafeteria workers in the education sector in the Edmonton area,” said AUPE Staff Negotiator John Wevers, who led the local bargaining committee.
Under the agreement ratified by AUPE Local 071/013 members in a mail-in vote counted May 20, the approximately 300 members of the local will receive a pay increase averaging 12.16 per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2007.
The agreement was ratified by the employer Tuesday evening.
That will be followed by a pay increase averaging 4.73 per cent, effective on March 1, 2008, which will bring the local’s members to parity with Edmonton Public School employees doing the same work, Wevers said.
On Sept. 1, 2008, local members will receive a pay increase of 4.53 per cent, followed by increases on Sept. 1 of each remaining year of the agreement tied to Statistics Canada’s calculation of average weekly wage earnings for Alberta, Wevers said.
Other improvements in the agreement include:
- Addition of two days for care of a sick child
- Creation of a $500 flexible health benefits spending account available on Sept. 1, 2008
- A retirement bonus of $4,000 for 10-year employees enrolled in the Local Authorities Pension Plan plus $350 for each additional year of service
- An allowance of $200 every two years for tools, uniforms and protective clothing
- Payment of professional fees of up to $1,000 per calendar year
The agreement also includes improvements in contract language related to union recognition, layoff and recall, training, apprenticeship and travel.
The agreement expires on Aug. 31, 2012.
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For more information, contact:
John Wevers, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3349 or 780-232-9820 (cellular phone)
Mark Wells, Communications Officer, AUPE, 780-930-3406