CDS workers ratify new contract making gains

In June, members of Child Development Services ratified a new contract that makes gains in wages, paid parental leave, paid time off and flex time. The workers had been working without a contract since December of 2021. The raises at CDS over the contract term total 9 percent for Professional Staff workers and 11.5 percent for Support Staff workers as follows:

CDS Professional Staff raises: Effective July 1, 2022, a 1% increase to all steps on pay scale; 3.5% step increase (move up one step on the pay scale); and add a new step (3.5%) to pay scale (this ensures a step increase even for folks at the current top step). Effective July 1, 2023: a 1% increase to all steps; a 3.5% step increase (move up one step on the pay scale); and add an additional 3.5% step to pay scale (this ensures a step increase even for folks at the current top step).

CDS Support Staff raises: Effective July 1st 2022, a 2% Increase to all steps on pay scale; 3.5% Step Increase (move up one step on the pay scale); add new step (3.5%) to pay scale (Ensures a step increase even for folks at the current top step). Effective July 1st 2023, a 2.5 % increase to all steps on pay scale; a 3.5% step increase (move up one step on the pay scale); and add new step (3.5%) to pay scale (this ensures a step increase even for folks at the current top step).

The new CDS contract also includes two weeks of paid parental leave. Our team has fought for paid parental leave for the past decade.

Because CDS members work with a lot of children with developmental disabilities, some with life-threatening issues, the contract adds wellness and grief counseling for incidents such as the death of a child in the care of CDS.

The contract provides for “Academic Year” employees to use their first 40 hours of paid time off for any reason and includes two additional days for Academic folks to cover school holidays.

Also, previously flex time for professional staff could only be used for direct client needs. Under the new contract, they can use flex time for direct client needs or to meet work related deadlines, or for medical appointments with pre-approval. Plus the contract adds contractual language relating to union business, including meetings on property, and general access to investigate grievances and discuss bargaining issues during breaks or before or after work. Bargaining team members Laurie Brown, Diane Rowe, Jackie Nadeau, Brittany Deschaine and Erin Leaman-Farley negotiated both the Professional and Support contracts in coalition.