County Council Approves Deal with Teamsters Local 879

Essex County Council has approved a new two-year collective agreement with Teamsters Local 879, which represents workers with the roads division of the County’s Infrastructure and Planning Services department.

The agreement runs from April 1, 2026, to March 31, 2028, and includes the following wage increases:

• 3.5 per cent effective April 1, 2026, for Operators;
• 8.0 per cent effective April 1, 2026, for Mechanics/Electricians;
• 3.0 per cent effective April 1, 2026, for Lead Hands; and
• 3.0 per cent effective April 1, 2027, for all classifications.

The agreement also includes increases in vacation and banked overtime carryover provisions, and an expansion of overtime premium provisions for weekend maintenance operations. In addition, the deal contains measures aimed at improving operational efficiency, modernizing administrative processes and supporting longer-term cost sustainability.

“This agreement reflects our deep respect for the skill, professionalism and commitment of our County road team members. Their expertise keeps our network reliable, and their dedication ensures that every resident and visitor can travel our roads safely and with confidence. This agreement not only recognizes the essential work they do each day, but also reinforces our shared commitment to maintaining a safe, strong and well-connected community,” said County of Essex CAO Sandra Zwiers.

“I would like to thank the bargaining representatives from the Teamsters and the County of Essex for the hard work and willingness to work together toward a shared solution.”

The agreement was ratified last week by members of Teamsters Local 879, operators, mechanics, lead hands and traffic signal electricians in the roads division. The department is responsible for maintaining more than 1,500 kilometres of county roads across all seven local municipalities.