Hydro One Local ratified collective agreement

The Society’s Hydro One Local has overwhelmingly ratified a new three-year collective agreement.

At the close of voting, Hydro One Local Deputy Returning Officer Harneet Panesar reported that 86% of voters supported ratification of the new agreement.

Jim Botari, Hydro One Local Vice President, said he was proud of what he and the rest of the bargaining team had accomplished in a difficult round of bargaining. Complicated by the Ontario government’s plans to divest itself of a majority of the shares in Hydro One, The Society sought stability for its members throughout this transition. The new deal, which takes effect April 1, 2016, accomplishes that.

Additionally, Botari said he is pleased to be able to improve the pension benefits for Tier 2 Plan. Though the deal includes greater contributions from members to the pension plan those new contributions are offset by new monetary compensation to avoid negative impacts on members.