Picton – The County of Prince Edward has reached new collective agreements with CUPE Local 2275, representing inside and outside employees, and the Ontario Nurses’ Association, representing nurses at the H.J. McFarland Memorial Home.
Council approved the agreements at its meeting last night. The agreement was previously ratified by the unions.
“Management and the unions took a collaborative and solutions-focused approach during these negotiations, which contributed to a fair and positive outcome for both parties,” says Adam Goheen, Interim Chief Administrative Officer, County of Prince Edward.
There is no financial implication to the 2025 budget related to the agreements because funds were set aside to account for the hourly rate increases, retroactive adjustments, and benefit enhancements.
CUPE Local 2275 Agreement
The municipality and the bargaining unit, which currently represents 123 full-time and 26 part-time employees, held 14 total days of bargaining sessions between January 8, 2025 and April 22, 2025. The new collective agreement is in effect from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2027. Highlights include:
- Total wage increases of 5% effective April 1, 2024; 6% effective April 1, 2025; and 2% effective April 1, 2026. The wage adjustments compensate for the previous four-year agreement, which was signed pre-pandemic and provided increases that were substantially lower than inflation. Increases to shift premiums and on-call pay are also set out in the new agreement.
- Benefit improvements to support employee wellbeing including increases to paramedical, vision, hearing, and mental health coverage.
- Vacation leave has been restructured and now starts at three weeks per year for new employees, and a pregnancy/parental top-up benefit was added.
- Addition of a pregnancy/parental top-up benefit.
- Formal recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) as a paid statutory holiday.
- The addition of a land acknowledgement statement and gender-neutral language.
Ontario Nurses’ Association Agreement
The previous collective agreement expired on March 31, 2024. The municipality and the bargaining unit, which currently represents six full-time and three part-time nurses, negotiated the collective agreement renewal over seven full-day sessions between July 25, 2024 and April 7, 2025.
The new collective agreement is effective April 1, 2024 until March 31, 2025. Negotiations on the next agreement will begin this summer.
Highlights include:
- A wage increase of 7.5% effective April 1, 2024 to adjust to external market rates. Increases to night and weekend shift premiums are also provided.
- Benefit improvements including reimbursement of professional fees and increases to mental health benefits, as well as paramedical and dental coverage.
- Recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) as a paid statutory holiday was formalized in the agreement.
- The addition of a land acknowledgement statement and gender-neutral language.
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For media inquiries, please contact Mark Kerr at 613.476.2148 ext. 1009 or by email at mkerr@pecounty.on.ca