Wage increases, bereavement leave included in new deal
Workers at Settlement Assistance and Family Support Services (SAFSS) in Scarborough, Ont., voted to ratify the tentative agreement reached Oct. 17.
It is SAFSS workers' first agreement as members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The contract includes a number of gains, according to the union: yearly wage increases, sick days, bereavement leave for all employees, language to protect against contracting out and better overtime provisions.
"They will see wage increases for the first time in eight years, have better job security, and a better quality of work over all," said Valentina Khoudiakova, OPSEU bargaining chair.
"They stood their ground through eighteen months of negotiations, and campaigned hard leading up to the strike deadline," said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, OPSEU president.
