Oliver CUPE workers vote to strike

by Wayne Moore - Castanet  Feb 17, 2012 / 4:57 pm

The Town of Oliver says farmers may be held hostage by local civic employees looking to secure a new contract. The town issued a news release late Friday afternoon stating members of CUPE Local 608 had voted earlier in the week in favour of strike action following a breakdown of mediated negotiations. The union has been without a contract since December 31, 2010. The town says CUPE has also refused to acknowledge the importance of agricultural irrigation water supply as an essential service. "By fighting an essential service designation by the Labour Relations Board for agricultural water supply, Oliver's municipal workers are attempting to hold farmers hostage to satisfy their wage demands," says Oliver Mayor, Ron Hovanes. "This is a major concern for council as the town is responsible for providing water to the entire community including the farming sector. We will continue to exercise all avenues available to pursue a favourable decision by the LRB and, failing that, to keep water flowing using management staff." Hovanes says the town has offered CUPE a four year contract with wage increases of 0%, 1.5%, 1.5% and 1.5% plus a $400 signing bonus in the first year. He says the offer was better than a contract accepted by CUPE workers in Penticton. "Council believes the town's offer is more than fair under the current economic circumstances in Oliver. We did not ask for any wage concessions for positions as was the case in Penticton," says Hovanes. The mayor says the union is seeking  a 1.95% increase in each of the four years, a contract similar to one agreed to in Osoyoos, a community which Hovanes says collects more than $1M more in taxes per year. Hovanes further states that the last contract, which ran from 2007 to 2010, provided workers wage increases compounding to approximately 14.5%. He adds the difference between the two offers would cost tax payers of Oliver over $113,000 over the life of the contract.