Last night, MGEU Local 382 (WRHA Interpreters) ratified their first contract – a one-year agreement (effective April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012).
As with most first contracts, the new agreement gives members of Local 382 the basic rights of union protection (such as grievance and arbitration procedures, disciplinary processes etc.) as well as a 2.9% wage increase (retroactive to April 1, 2011) which will be distributed starting the first pay period after March 27, 2012.
One major accomplishment for WRHA Interpreters is that they will also now receive two-hour minimum pay, which means if members are called in for an assignment which takes them 10 minutes or an hour to complete they’ll receive two hours worth of pay.
The new one-year agreement is being proofed, finalized and signed before printed copies are distributed. MGEU negotiator Marlene Hubert wishes to thank the Bargaining Committee of Jiyhun Kim and Slone Phan, who did a great job on behalf of their members and were an asset at the table.
Heading Right Back to the Table
Because this is a one-year agreement, the Local will be heading right back to the bargaining table to work on the next contract, so members are encouraged to start filling out bargaining proposals they might want to submit at an upcoming proposal meeting (watch your mailbox in April for a meeting notice). Any member of Local 382 who has not signed a union membership application is encouraged to contact the MGEU Resource Centre to ensure they receive a copy of the first agreement and future meeting notices.