CUPE has ratified a new four-year agreement with Memorial University.

Local 1615 represents more than 700 administrative, technical and support employees at the St. John’s, Corner Brook, and Labrador campuses.

The agreement includes improvements to language, pay, and benefits for workers. All classifications will receive an eight per cent wage increase over four years in addition to a one-time pro-rated $2,000 retention bonus.

In addition, the 36-step wage scale has been reduced to a 19-step scale that sees the lowest steps eliminated, thus increasing the salary floor. There’s also a brand new salary supplement benefit for those on parental leave.

Local President Bill Kavanagh is happy that workers on the lowest pay scales will now get significantly more, and that they have introduced parental leave top-up. He says the contract also establishes family violence leave.