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TORONTO, Ont. –Toronto Hydro’s clerical, technical and trades workers, members of Local 1 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE 1), have ratified a four-year collective agreement with their employer.
Last night, CUPE 1 members voted in favour of accepting the new agreement, reached early Wednesday morning in advance of a midnight lockout/strike deadline.
“It’s fitting to be able to announce to Toronto Hydro customers on Valentine’s Day that the men and women of CUPE Local 1 look forward to making the community we all love a better, safer place for a long time to come,” said John Camilleri, President of CUPE 1.
He also took the time to thank Torontonians for the many expressions of support and solidarity Local 1 members received as they worked around the clock to restore power to nearly one million residents after the ice storm in December.
The four-year agreement was reached following several days of collective bargaining between Toronto Hydro management and CUPE 1’s bargaining committee, with the assistance of a Provincially-appointed Conciliation Officer, who worked under a mutually agreed-upon media blackout. Local 1’s previous contract with Toronto Hydro expired January 31, 2014.
The new agreement includes modest improvements to wages and benefits, with no major concessions.
“Our members have certainly shown their commitment to this community and to Toronto Hydro customers over the last few months, and certainly in the aftermath of the ice storm last December,” said Camilleri.
“That commitment and the fact our members’ proposals to Toronto Hydro were quite modest demonstrates our respect to the residents of this community we serve,” he added.
CUPE 1 represents 915 clerical, technical and trades workers at Toronto Hydro.
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For more information, please contact:
Kevin Wilson, CUPE Communications, 416-821-6641
