First contract ratified for Interval House in Ottawa

First contract ratified for Interval House in Ottawa brings wage increase, important language, and the rights and benefits that come with being a unionized worker.  

The new members in Ottawa at Interval House who provide safe shelter and support to women and gender-diverse people fleeing domestic and gender-based violence, have ratified their first collective agreement with a three-year term.

Start rates for full-time workers range from $50,000 to $60,000 per year. Part-time and casual start rate is $26.77/hour increasing to $27.31/hour on the first anniversary.

Wages for these members will increase 3% retroactive to April 1, 2025, Year 2 -2%, and Year 3 – 2%.

The members will retain their matching RRSP of 2%, and their benefit plan. Both of which are now enshrined in contract language.

Contract language for workers includes:

• Sick Leave: 70 hours per fiscal year that can be carried over year to year, and can accumulate to a maximum of 420 hours.
• Mileage for use of personal vehicle as per National Joint Council for government business travel which is currently 62 cents/km.
• Ten paid stat holidays.
• Two float days per year.
• Vacation: 3 weeks at 0-2 years, 4 weeks at 2-5 years and 5 weeks after 5 years of service.
• On call premium increased to eight hours of pay for each on call week. If attending work due to on call, members will be paid regular rate for all hours.
• On Call language to reduce the frequency of on call weeks from almost every other week to a maximum of one in eight weeks. This was important language for the membership.
• Paid Personal Emergency Leave: five days per year and paid Mental Health Leave: five days per year maintained and now part of collective agreement.
• Menstrual products to be provided by the employer.

Along with these improvements, the workers now also have the rights and benefits of unionized workers of a grievance and arbitration procedure, recall and scheduling of hours, a sunset clause for discipline, representation language, seniority rights for promotion, layoff, and the scheduling of hours.

Union negotiating committee: Lori Jardine and Sarah Woodward. Region 3 Director Paul Hardwick and Union representative Kim Hunter.

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