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Cranbrook, BC (February 27, 2024) - The City of Cranbrook and union staff members represented by CUPE Local 2090 have reached a new four-year Collective Agreement starting from March 1, 2023, to February 28, 2027. CUPE 2090 held a ratification vote on the agreement on February 13, 2024, and City Council ratified the agreement on February 26, 2024.

The union and employer bargaining teams worked collaboratively, negotiating mutually beneficial terms to ensure quality services to our residents and businesses continue. During the previous collective bargaining process, the bargaining teams agreed to shorten the term to two years (March 1, 2021, to February 28, 2023) as the impact of post COVID inflation was unpredictable in 2022. This current round of bargaining started in early 2023 and required a full year of bargaining past the expiry of the previous collective agreement of February 2023, as the inflationary environment, wages and changing demands for services were significant issues to resolve, however the new agreement was reached without job action or service disruptions. 

The four-year agreement from March 1, 2023, to February 28, 2027, includes these annual wage increases:

• Year One: A general increase of 4.5% to all classifications retroactive to March 1, 2023. 
• Year Two: A general increase of 4.5% to all classifications beginning March 1, 2024. 
• Year Three: A general increase of 3% to all classifications. 
• Year Four: A general increase of 3% to all classifications. 

In addition to the increases, employees will receive a Joint Job Evaluation (JJE) increase of 1.5% based on employees March 1, 2023, rate of pay. This JJE process is the evaluation and modernization of job duties and descriptions to meet service demands, and market pay rate comparison of municipal jobs in other cities and similar private sector jobs. 

Other municipalities in BC that have recently settled new collective agreements with CUPE include:

“This round of bargaining included consideration of the new inflationary challenges facing all communities requiring much more work by both bargaining teams, finally settling on the average for union wage increases in the 3% to 4.5% range similar to the most recent new collective agreements being ratified by other cities,” says Mark Fercho, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Cranbrook. “The bargaining teams negotiated over the past year to reach an agreement balancing the costs of services with supporting a strong workforce to deliver the increasing demands for services in Cranbrook.” 

“Thank you to the CUPE executive and the City bargaining committees for their intense year of bargaining working together on this collective agreement,” says Mayor Wayne Price. “This new agreement will ensure we are able to continue to provide stable quality service for all of our customers and citizens while respecting the increasing costs to the City resident taxpayers.”

"I want to thank the CUPE 2090 bargaining committee for their hard work and dedication throughout this bargaining round. The support from our CUPE members has been incredible. Our members are working hard in challenging times and are proud to serve their community of Cranbrook,” says Marlene Assuncao, President of CUPE Local 2090. “We believe this is a fair and progressive collective agreement and look forward to continue working with the employer in order to serve our community the best we can."

The City employs 183 inside and outside union workers represented by CUPE 2090 who are dedicated to providing many public services including: road maintenance, garbage collection, water and wastewater operations, parks and recreation services, bylaw services, planning services, engineering services, RCMP support, and administrative services at City Hall and our other municipal facilities.