A new collective agreement between unionized Electric Light and Power Department workers and the City of Red Deer has been ratified.
The two-year agreement with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers is in effect from Jan. 1, 2017 until Dec. 31, 2018, and provides annual wage adjustments for the 44 employees of 1.75 per cent in 2017, and two per cent in 2018.
The agreement covers a variety of positions including Journeyman Lineman, Journeyman Electrician Technician, Electrical Engineering Technologist and Designer.
The city said in a release that the agreement allows it to balance the labour market pressures of the specialized electrical utility field with current financial and economic realities. The two parties met over five days of bargaining.