Winnipeg’s largest police union is one step closer to having a new contract.
Nearly 95 per cent of Winnipeg Police Association members have voted to ratify their tentative contract with the city.
“We had a very high turnout as usual, a very high percentage to accept it,” said George Van Mackelbergh, vice president of the Winnipeg Police Association. “I’ve been on three negotiation committees, and this one went fairly well. I think it’s going to be a contract that’s good for everybody, good give and take.”
The union represents nearly 2,000 uniformed and civilian members.
The deal will now go to full council Wednesday to get the final stamp of approval.
Late Tuesday afternoon, the city released a statement with details about the deal, which it called “the longest, most sustainable agreement in almost 20 years.”
The five-year contract would run until December 2021 (retroactively beginning this past December) and features a number of wage increases:
- 2.5 per cent at the end of 2017, 2018 and 2019
- one per cent in June 2020
- 1.5 per cent in December 2020
- one per cent in June 2021
- 1.5 per cent in December 2021
The contract also includes taking 30 positions in two police units and making them civilian jobs, which should save the city $5.33-million over the course of the deal.
If approved, it would be the second union to get a new deal this year after the city reached an agreement with the United Firefighters of Winnipeg.
Winnipeg’s largest union, CUPE Local 500, will vote June 29 on whether to ratify its tentative deal with the city.
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