Society-represented employees at the Independent Electricity System Operator will see a 3.5% boost in their pay cheques over two years thanks to the determined advocacy of their Local.
After failing to reach a negotiated or mediated agreement with its employer, the IESO Local went to binding arbitration to resolve the impasse.
In his August 5 decision, arbitrator John Stout awarded a two-year contract with 1.75% pay increases for each of 2015 and 2016. The 2015 increase is retroactive to January 1, 2015.
Additionally, the Local won improvements to chiropractic and psychological health benefits, and maintained the current pension contribution rate.
The IESO had been seeking a “net zero” award at arbitration, meaning that any pay increase would have been offset by concessions elsewhere in the decision. Arbitrator Stout, however, rejected this approach and didn’t force any additional concessions on IESO workers.
