CORNWALL – Three months after a strike affecting a majority of City of Cornwall workers, their new collective agreements are still filled with margin notes and penciled-in additions.
A Cornwall councillor expressed concerns about the state of collective agreements between four CUPE locals and the City of Cornwall.
“I’ve been approached by a number of unions saying their contract’s not signed,” Coun. Andre Rivette stated Monday night.
It’s been about three months since a deal was reached with the union representing Cornwall-SDG Paramedic Service paramedics, inside and outside workers and employees with the Cornwall Public Library after a three week strike.
But Human Resources Manager Geoff Clarke said the new collective agreements are all in effect.
“Provisions that are in effect now are taking place. The documents are in draft. CUPE has been away on vacation, we have been away. We’ll get it done soon,” he said.
In an interview with Cornwall Newswatch, Coun. Justin Towndale was asked whether he had any concerns about not having final collective agreements in the hands of city managers to mange their employees.
“I’m going to say, no, only because of my experience provincially because sometimes contracts weren’t signed but the terms were present. However, I had a city employee come up to me as I came back and say ‘We appreciate the raise.’ That’s one voice but that tells me it’s been implemented,” Towndale said.
“I don’t think there’s anything holding them back (city managers) from doing that (following the new collective agreements). If there is, I would hope that we’d hear about it,” he said.
“My understanding is the new terms are in place now, at least I’d hope they are.”