FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Board supports new collective agreement with C.U.P.E.
January 17, 2006, Belleville, Ontario—At a Special Board Meeting last night, the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board unanimously ratified a four-year collective agreement for employees in the Canadian Union of Public Employees (C.U.P.E.), Local 1022. C.U.P.E. members ratified in mid-December.

The collective agreement is for the period September 1, 2004 to August 31, 2008 and affects 655 education assistants, custodial, maintenance, office clerical and technical employees.

“Employees are the Board’s greatest asset and we value their contributions to support student success. We are very pleased to reach a settlement with C.U.P.E.” remarks Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board.

Highlights of the agreement include:

• A 10.2 percent wage increase over four years, with hourly rates ranging from $11.38 to $22.52
• Vision care upgrade to $300 every 24 months
• Joint administration of a one-time professional development fund in the amount of $185,533, funded by the Ministry of Education
• Job security restricted to employees of record and their hours of work as of April 9, 2003.

“On behalf of the 655 members of Local 1022, the executive is pleased that the collective agreement is now in place,” states Donna Howes, President of Local 1022. “Our members will continue to support student achievement for the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board.”

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 46 elementary and eight secondary schools serving 18,400 students, employing 1,070 teachers and 705 support staff. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the west.

For more information, contact:
• Kerry Donnell, Communications Officer, (613) 966-1170 or 1 800 267-4350, extension 2354