RAINBOW DISTRICT—Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) and the union representing its cleaners, custodians and trades employees in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin Island have reached a tentative agreement at the local level.
The tentative deal will be presented to members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 895 for ratification, and, subsequently, to the board of trustees for approval.
The new deal, if ratified by both parties, will be in effect from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2026, aligning with the provincial settlement for this employee group at the central bargaining table, a release explains.
“Our CUPE staff plays a critical role in our schools, keeping them clean and safe,” said RDSB chair Bob Clement. “They not only maintain quality facilities for teaching and learning, they also contribute to school-based sustainability efforts.”
Mr. Clement said, “we commend the bargaining team from the board and the union for working diligently to bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”
“On behalf of CUPE Local 895, I would like to thank the (RDSB) on reaching a tentative agreement locally for custodial and maintenance employees,” said Rob Lisi, president of CUPE Local 895. “We will continue to provide a clean and safe workplace and learning facility for all staff and students.”
This is the first employee group within the school board to achieve a new collective agreement centrally and locally. Contracts with all employee groups expired on August 31, 2022.
