Vancouver municipal outside workers serve 72-hour strike notice

By The Canadian Press Wednesday, July 11, 2007 Daily Courier

VANCOUVER (CP) - Vancouver’s outside workers have served the city with 72-hour strike notice.The city says its second-largest union, CUPE 1004, could take job action as early as 4 p.m. on Friday. The union represents about 1,800 employees responsible for everything from garbage pick-up to park maintenance but the city says in a news release.City spokesman Jerry Dobrovolny says officials are disappointed the union has put the city and its residents in this position.Dobrovolny says the city has met with the union eight times to discuss contract issues and made a comprehensive settlement offer.He says the city still has room to negotiate."We’ve worked hard to avoid a strike and we’re anxious for the union to come back to the table," Dobrovolny said in the city’s news release Tuesday.Vancouver and several of its suburbs are in a tense round of contract talks with their unionized workers.Some 9,000 civic workers in the Greater Vancouver Regional District now are ready to strike.

Employees in Delta, members of Cupe local 454 and the Delta Police Board, rejected a proposed contract Monday that would have expired immediately after the 2010 Olympics.They worry future contracts will be stripped as the region copes with huge bills following the Games.On Monday, Vancouver asked the B.C. Labour Relations Board to conduct a "last offer vote" to the 3,500 employees of its largest union, CUPE 15.The city said that in the event of job action, plans will be in place to provide essential services to protect the health and safety of residents.
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Don Quixote Note: Anyone else wonder why the media hasn't reported on the status of the City of Vernon's Contract with THE VERNON CIVIC EMPLOYEES’ UNION LOCAL 626 that expired on Dec. 31, 2006. Current employment opportunities on the City's website are advertising the rates from this expired contract so maybe it was simply extended? Hopefully any wage and benefits adjustments have been conservatively provided for in this years budget? The City's financials statements have not yet been released, backing up the City's Annual Report that was due for Public Input by the statutory deadline of June 30 so it appears that one can not be too optimistic of an end to the Labor Bargaining sessions either.