City Employees with CUPE 905 are on strike

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Update November 27, 2024

Statement from Mayor David West

"I would like to thank the residents and businesses of Richmond Hill for their patience during the CUPE 905 strike and apologize for the inconvenience and delays this job action may be causing you.

The City did not want this strike. That is why we made offers to CUPE 905’s bargaining committee that reflected and exceeded current municipal bargaining trends.

The City’s last offer to CUPE 905’s bargaining committee included:

Wage increases of

3.25% in 2024;
3% in 2025;
3.25% in 2026

Improvements to these benefits:

chiropractic and massage; vision; orthodontics; major restorative dental coverage; psychological services
Increased paid days off
In addition to a 3% wage increase, we have adjusted the hourly rate for targeted positions to better reflect market rates

Unfortunately, CUPE 905’s bargaining committee offer back to the City would result in an increase of up to 12% over two years. While we want our employees to be paid well for the hard work that they do, that cost is not fair to our taxpayers.

Let’s end this strike and get our employees back to work. The City’s bargaining committee remains available to resume bargaining at any time."

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On November 22, CUPE 905, the union representing approximately 200 City employees, began strike action.

The City of Richmond Hill sent this information:

"The City values the work of all our employees, including those represented by CUPE 905. It is our goal to achieve a negotiated collective agreement that reflects the important role that they play in the City and that is in keeping with other comparable settlements.

The City and CUPE 905 have been bargaining a renewal collective agreement for outside workers since June 5, 2024. The current contract expired on March 31, 2024.

In an effort to reach an agreement and avoid a strike, the City made an offer that included the following:

Wage increases of
- 3.25% in 2024;
- 3% in 2025;
- 3.25% in 2026
Improvements to these benefits: chiropractic and massage; vision; orthodontics; major restorative dental coverage; psychological services
Increased paid days off
In addition to a 3% wage increase, we have adjusted the hourly rate for targeted positions to better reflect market rates
However, CUPE 905’s bargaining team remains committed to a flat rate wage increase for all CUPE 905 employees, in addition to a significant percentage increase. CUPE’s last offer would result in an increase of up to 12% over two years.

The City’s proposal reflects current bargaining trends.

Some City services are affected by the strike.

Suspended services

Arena ice-pads are closed (including ice pad pre-registered programs, drop-ins and permits)
Parks and sports field maintenance and non-emergency repairs
Routine forestry and horticulture activities (i.e. planting, pruning, non-hazard tree inspections)
Snow windrow clearing (the pile of snow left at the bottom of a driveway after a snow plow has cleared the road)
Trail maintenance

Services that may take longer than usual

Recreation facility repairs
Unscheduled cleanups (i.e. illegal dumping, graffiti removal)
Waste collection from City parks
Winter maintenance operations - salting, plowing and/or shoveling of City roads, sidewalks, facility parking lots and entrances to municipal buildings

Services that are NOT affected

Fire and Emergency Services
Access Richmond Hill, including receiving payments for City-related bills
By-law services
City Clerks Office, including marriage and lottery licences
Development support services - servicing in-fill lots
Emergency infrastructure repair (i.e. watermain breaks, sewer backups)
Hazardous tree maintenance
Recreation programs, community centres, pools and facility permits (not including arenas)
Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts events and programs
Streetlight repairs
Waste collection
Water and wastewater operations and testing