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CUPE ratifies 'take it or leave it' deal with city

New deals between CUPE locals and the city ensure labour peace for at least four years.

Unionized indoor and outdoor employees of the City of Windsor ratified new four-year collective bargaining agreements Monday night.

Inside workers of CUPE Local 543 voted 75 percent in favour of the new contract, while the outside employees of CUPE Local 82 voted 89 percent in favour.

The new contracts include a $500 cash bonus for full-time workers in the first year; $950 in the second year; and a one per cent pay hike in 2015; and 1.2 per cent increase in 2016.

The key issue for the city was capping sick leave days.

Mayor Eddie Francis said getting a cap on sick days was a priority because it lowers the city's cost.

"We're very pleased we pleased we have labour peace and we're able to move forward," Francis said.

The new contracts cut the amount of sick days allowed to nine per year. That's down from 18. The new deals also cap the total accumulated sick days at 130. Employees can cash those out at the end of their careers.

"The deal that we were able to get with the corporation was fair. We knew the climate going in. The economy isn't the best yet," said Jim Wood, president of CUPE Local 82.

Mark Vander Voort, president of CUPE Local 543, said the deal was "take it or leave it package" offered by the city.

The total cost of the new four-year contracts to the city is $5.2 million.