Art Reid, minister responsible for housing, announced today that tentative agreements reached between Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) and IBEW Local 1615 and CUPE Local 1860 have been ratified by the corporation’s unionized employees. “I am very pleased that all sides have been successful in finding reasonable and mutually agreeable solutions to the issues,” Mr. Reid said. “We look forward to working with a new collective agreement.”

One of the main highlights of the agreements is general pay increases totalling seven per cent over a 39-month period. The new agreements come following negotiations which began late in 1997.

Speaking on behalf of their members, Bob Clarke, business manager, IBEW and Dave Reynolds, national representative, CUPE, commented that the intensive negotiations leading to the agreements were positive and the process has lead to a clearer understanding of each other needs.

CUPE Local 1860 represents approximately 400 administrative, technical and maintenance employees of NLHC, while IBEW Local 1615 represents maintenance employees in the corporation’s Stephenville Regional Office. Both agreements expire in the year 2001.

For further information, contact: 
Jenny Bowring, Corporate Communications 
Telephone:  (709) 724-3055  
E-mail:  releases@nlhc.nf.ca