Horizon School Division CUPE Agreement: What You Need to Know
The Horizon School Division and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have come to a new three-year collective agreement that will cover over 300 support staff employees. The agreement covers a range of issues, including wages, benefits, and job security.
Here is a breakdown of what you need to know about the Horizon School Division CUPE agreement.
Wages
Under the new agreement, wages for support staff employees will increase by 1.5% in each of the three years. This increase is retroactive to September 1, 2020, so employees will see a back pay adjustment for the months they worked before the agreement was made.
Benefits
The new agreement also includes significant changes to benefits for support staff employees. For example, the employer will now offer an additional $500 in vision care coverage per two-year period. The employer will also now contribute $160 per year to an employee’s health spending account, which can be used to cover medical costs such as dental and prescription drugs. Furthermore, employees will receive an additional two days of personal leave to use for family or personal matters.
Job Security
Job security has been a significant concern for support staff employees in recent years. The new agreement includes language that will provide increased job security. Specifically, the employer has agreed to provide a list of vacant positions that support staff employees can apply for before they are advertised externally. This provides an additional opportunity for internal promotion and job security.
Other Changes
In addition to the changes listed above, the new agreement includes several other changes. For example, employees who work a partial workday (less than six hours) will receive a minimum of three hours of pay per shift. This will help ensure employees are not left without work or pay if their shift is cut short. The employer has also agreed to maintain current levels of funding for professional development for employees.
Conclusion
The Horizon School Division CUPE agreement provides increased wages, improved benefits, and greater job security for support staff employees. The additions of vision care coverage, a health spending account, and personal leave will provide better support for employees’ health and well-being. With increased job security and minimum pay guarantees for partial workdays, employees can feel more confident in their positions. Overall, the new agreement is a positive development for support staff employees of the Horizon School Division.