City outside workers to get 14 per cent wage hike over three years

Prince George ciity council and CUPE Locals 399 (City outside workers) and 1048 (City inside workers) have ratified a new collective agreement effective from January 1, 2024, through to December 31, 2026.

This round of bargaining, which began in January, concluded with an agreement reached without job action or service disruptions.

The three-year agreement includes the following annual wage increases for staff:

• Year one: a general increase of five per cent, retroactive to January 1, 2024
• Year two: a general increase of five per cent, effective January 1, 2025
• Year three: a general increase of four per cent, effective January 1, 2026

The retroactive increase for 2024 was already accounted for in this year’s budget.

“This agreement provides a fair deal for our staff and is in line with recent agreements in other cities across the province,” said City Manager Walter Babicz, in a news release.  “I’d like to thank both bargaining teams for working together over the past year to reach an agreement that balances inflationary needs while supporting a strong workforce we can rely on to meet the growing demand from residents for city services.”

“We’re pleased to have negotiated a new contract that recognizes the vital public services CUPE members provide in Prince George,” said CUPE 1048 President Karen Welch. “Through this round of bargaining, we’ve achieved improvements that benefit our members and enhance the quality of services residents count on every day.”  

“CUPE members are proud to provide quality public services in Prince George. We look forward to continuing to work with the City to deliver those services for residents, businesses and visitors,” said CUPE 399 President Tyler Ezelyk. 

The City of Prince George employs more than 600 workers represented by CUPE who are dedicated to delivering quality services to residents.