SGI reaches tentative agreement with unionized workers

SGI and the Canadian Office and Professional Employees (COPE) Union Local 397 have reached a tentative agreement.
SGI’s unionized workers took job action on July 7. Roughly 1,500 workers at the public insurer had been without a contract for 18 months.
With the tentative agreement in place, members of COPE’s Local 397 have suspended job action and lifted its ban on overtime.
The terms of the proposed deal include a 5.5% general wage increase over three years (1%, 3%, 1.5%), an SGI release says. The parties also agreed upon a fourth year at 2%.
Other terms include:
* employer-paid pension increase from 5.5% to 5.75%, effective Jan. 1, 2012;
* restructuring and changes to existing employee benefits plans;
* health and dental benefits maintained during the term of the agreement; and
* a guarantee of no layoffs for permanent employees for the period expiring Dec. 31, 2013.