New Collective Agreement with the City of Ottawa

We now have a new collective agreement. 
 
After a long and challenging bargaining process, we have received the arbitration award and new collective agreement. Arbitration was necessary because your employer refused to improve their pay offer and insisted on extending hours of work for our members at OPH.

Wage increases

Wage increases are disappointing. While the wage increases awarded match the earlier award to CUPE 503 – 1.8% for 2020, 1.5% 2021, and 1.75% for 2022 – they do not reflect the surge in inflation in the last year.  

Our nominee to the arbitration panel has objected to these increases through a formal dissent saying, “I cannot support a decision that would award employees represented by CIPP what is expected to be 1.65 percent less than the expected increase to Consumer Price Index for 2022.” 

We were awarded retroactive pay. This means that by May 8, 2022, you will receive the wage increases from 2020 and 2021.

Wins

Our new deal includes dedicated $1500 coverage for mental health services – a big and valuable step forward. More than ever your mental health needs are a top priority for the union. We have added 5 new paid days of leave for survivors of domestic violence. Keeping up with the national trend of ensuring that employers are not a barrier to safety. 

Additionally, your employer attempted to make changes to hours of work for members at Ottawa Public Health. We successfully pushed back to maintain respectful hours of work for these members.  

This new contract covers only 2020 until the end of 2022. This is good. We will be back to the table very soon, with a better opportunity to get results on pay. 
 
Beyond this, we have made a number of important gains listed below in the summary document.  

The Next Round

We will not back down. 

This next round of bargaining will be different. Your employer has used delay tactics to avoid discussing issues that matter to you as professionals. We are determined to have these issues addressed at the bargaining table in a timely manner. 

We need your help. Please sign up to take an active role in our next round of bargaining to push your employer for a fair agreement.

Thank you to the CIPP bargaining team for their tenacity and commitment!