**UNION OF CANADIAN TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES NEWS RELEASE**

Timmins – Earlier today members of local 00075 (Timmins Victor Power Airport) voted in favour of a new collective agreement. This particular round of bargaining was punctuated by the possibility of a strike, which loomed throughout most of March.

The 19 airport workers affected include maintenance and airfield technicians, mechanics, electricians and some administrative personnel. They are represented by the Union of Canadian Transportation Employees (UCTE), a union within the Public Service Alliance of Canada.

“We are satisfied with the deal ratified earlier today. Our members were successful in improving their working conditions and fending off the employer’s unreasonable rollbacks,” said Martin Mika, UCTE regional vice-president for Ontario.

That said, the union is disappointed that these negotiations teetered so close to the breaking point.

“The vast majority of collective agreements in Canada are reached without ever resorting to strike action,” said Mika. “Rather than working with us, the City adopted a hardnosed stance that made meaningful negotiations practically impossible.”

“Their my-way-or-the-highway approach is the reason why we came so close to striking.”

The City had originally tabled 52 concessions. Thanks to the bargaining team members’ hard work and the members who supported them, this current agreement has zero concessions.

In addition, members will also see salary increases as well as improvements to maternity allowance, shift premiums and life insurance coverage.

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