February 23, 1999

SaskEnergy Union Members Ratify New Agreement

The Communications, Energy and Paperworkers’ (CEP) Union (Local 649), representing 759 SaskEnergy workers, is pleased to announce that members casting ballots have voted 84 per cent in favour of ratifying a new collective bargaining agreement.

"This agreement continues the strong, healthy and mutually beneficial relationship that SaskEnergy has cultivated with its union," said Larry Braun, president of CEP Union (Local 649). "We look forward to meeting the challenges of a dynamic, changing and more competitive energy industry together in the new millennium."

Ron Clark, president and chief executive officer of SaskEnergy said, "The strength of SaskEnergy has always been the talents of its outstanding team of men and women. Our union membership has played a leading role in building a safe and reliable natural gas system over the past 45 years and we look forward to continuing our harmonious relations with this new agreement."

Highlights of the agreement are as follows:

• A general wage increase of two per cent in each of three years of the agreement, which runs from February 1, 1998 to January 31, 2001;

• Modest enhancements to the retirement allowances; and

• Provisions to work together with SaskEnergy to manage issues surrounding technological change.

Voting was conducted between January 25 and February 5, 1999.

For more information, contact:

Larry Braun
President, CEP Union (Local 649), Regina
Phone: (306)352-7041

Trish Deck
Labour Relations Analyst
Phone: (306)777-9455