Barrie city council ratifies agreement with CUPE Local 2380

Barrie city council has ratified a three-year agreement with CUPE Local 2380.

The union represents municipal workers in Barrie who provide public services including parks and recreation, water and wastewater treatment, public works, courthouse services, financial and administrative services, city planning, bylaw enforcement, building and marina services and more.

According to a media release issued by the city, a tentative agreement between the city and the union was reached on July 30 this year. The previous contract expired Dec. 31, 2017.

The agreement was ratified by Barrie’s city council on Thursday evening.

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CUPE Local 2380 also represents public servants in four sub-local municipalities besides the city of Barrie. The union is comprised of unionized staff from the Townships of Innisfil, Oro-Medonte, Penetanguishene and Ramara. It also represents Barrie Public Library workers.

“I am pleased that we were able to reach an agreement with CUPE Local 2380 that is fair and equitable, but also balances the present fiscal climate and needs of our taxpayers,” Michael Prowse, Barrie’s chief administrative officer said in the release. “We value the important work that our employees do every day to serve our residents and keep our city moving.”

According to the city, the agreement is for a three-year term, ending Dec. 31, 2020. The agreement includes a 1.65 per cent retroactive wage increase from Jan. 1, 2018, a 1.75 per cent increase Jan. 1, 2019 and a 1.8 per cent increase on Jan. 1, 2020.

“Today’s unions are helping communities in many ways that often go unrecognized and I’m proud of what we have achieved this round of bargaining with the city of Barrie,” Jacob Reid, president of CUPE Local 2380 said in the release.

“We play an integral role here in Simcoe County’s communities with many public and private employers looking to our established relationships to offer similar competitive benefits and wages to the people they employ. This continues to lift up society.”