After 3 years of colourful pants, Montreal police to vote on negotiated deal

Montreal police officers are set to vote on anagreement-in-principlereached by theirunion and the city overpension plans, after protesting for the past four yearsmostly by wearingcolourful pants.

The City of Montreal and the police union announced theyhad reached a tentative dealJune 24.

Radio-Canada has learned that the deal consists of a cumulative 20.75 per cent salary increase over seven years, including retroactive wages.

The breakdown is as follows:

• 2015: 2.25%
• 2016: 2.25%
• 2017: 5.25%
• 2018: 2.75%
• 2019: 3.25%
• 2020: 2.75%
• 2021: 2.25%

Pension contributions will be progressively increased so that by the end of 2021, police and government contributions will reach parity.

In addition, police cadets will be called upon to direct traffic 75 per cent of the time, with officers directing the remaining 25 per cent, as a cost-saving measure for the city.

• Montreal police tentative strike deal with city over pension reform

The deal was reached after negotiations ramped up in June, prompting police to shelf the colourful pants for the first time since 2014.They woretheir usual dark-uniformed pantson June 20.

Before they could put the more unique bottoms back on, an agreement-in-principlewas reached and Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre called it a "win-win."

The Montreal Police Brotherhoodwill holdan assembly Tuesday and Wednesday to inform its members about the terms.

Officers will then vote on Aug. 10.

Other pension deals struck this year

Montreal police officers began protesting after Quebec Premier PhilippeCouillardintroduceda pension reform for municipal workers, which would force them to contribute a larger portion of their salaries towards their retirement funds.

Firefighters, blue collar and white collar workers all came toagreements with the City after years of protests and pressure tactics.

• Firefighters settle pension dispute after years of negotiation
• Blue collar workers' union reach agreement with city over pension plan

One of the police's more well-known and recent protests was during the first light show on the Jacques Cartierbridge for the city's 375th anniversary.

Two thousand off-duty police officers had gathered near the bridge, shining lights and projecting the police union logo on a bridge pillar.

• More than 2,000 police officers protest as Montreal celebrates its 375th anniversary

In the case of Montreal police, the new deal, ifratified, will beretroactiveto Jan. 1, 2015 and last until the end of 2021.