Mississauga libraries will be back open tomorrow following a three-and-a-half week strike.
CUPE 1989 initially walked off the job on July 3 after 96 per cent of members who voted opted to reject a contract offer from the city.
The union then reached a tentative agreement with the city last week. That agreement was in turn ratified by union members on Monday and on Tuesday it was ratified by members of Mississauga City Council, paving the way for all Mississauga library branches to reopen at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
"It is great to have our employees going back to work so our libraries can reopen,” City Manager and Chief Administrative Officer Janice Baker said in a press release. “We know that residents will be excited to take advantage of library programming, facilities and services.”
The new agreement with library workers increases the hourly rate for library pages to $15 an hour and includes annual wage increases of 1.5 per cent over the next four years.
According to Baker, the city was able to provide the wage increases by delaying the effective date for an increase that would have taken effect in April.
“This agreement is fair to both employees and taxpayers,” she said.
Late fees for all materials that were due back at the library during the strike will be forgiven so long as returns are made by August 17.
