After a particularly difficult round of bargaining that included a long, targeted strike, members of Teranet - Locals 397 and 399, ratified a new four-year collective agreement today.
"In early July, all staff began refusing overtime in an effort to send a message to the employer: we will not settle for anything but a fair general wage increase," said MGEU President Kyle Ross. "When the employer wouldn't budge, the membership made the difficult decision to take strike action."
Teranet’s corporate head office is located in Toronto, while Teranet Manitoba has Land Titles Office locations in Winnipeg. Those picketing were responsible for property registry and a number of responsibilities related to the ownership of land under the Real Property Act, including dealing with documents like transfers of land, mortgages, caveats, liens, and judgments.
“These members really personified what solidarity is all about," Ross said. "They remained out there for the whole 60 days before applying for arbitration, and in the end, managed to reach a deal at the table like they'd been hoping for all along."
Highlights of the new agreement include wage increases from 12% to 14% (with a new 25-year long service step on top of the existing 20-year long service step) over the course of the agreement, and an increase to the Health Spending Account.