Metro Vancouver’s unionized workers have filed a 72-hour strike notice after reaching an impasse in bargaining negotiations.
The union has filed the notice with the BC Labour Relations Board and as of 3:36 p.m. on Sunday, members will be in a legal position to begin job action.
Members of the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees’ Union operate and maintain Metro Vancouver’s regional services, such as protecting water, air and natural resources that provide drinking water, sewer and infrastructure services, and managing parks, ecological reserves and housing communities.
The union says the sticking points remain key non-monetary items, including language addressing worker safety, protection against contracting out bargaining unit work and measures to support recruitment and retention.
Union members voted 97.8 per cent in favour of possible job action in March.
“Metro Vancouver’s senior managers are provoking the union while continuing to be responsible for ongoing administrative disasters like the North Shore wastewater treatment plant – elected Metro Vancouver Board members from all municipalities need to tell them to return to bargaining without pre-conditions that sabotage any possible contract agreement,” Jesse Medeiros, GVRDEU president, said in a statement.
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“Union members are also upset that exempt management staff compensation increased to $113 million in 2024 from $67 million in 2019 – a 69 per cent jump – while denying front line workers who serve the public a fair wage.”
Medeiros said the last negotiations took place April 13 and no talks are scheduled.
The union has not provided any details on what potential job action could look like.
In a statement to Global News, Metro Vancouver said it “remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable collective agreement with our GVRDEU employees.”
“Our offer, which is in line with other recently settled agreements throughout the region and with our Teamsters union, is a more than 10 per cent general wage increase over three years (3.5 per cent for 2025, 3.5 per cent for 2026, 3 per cent for 2027, plus a one-time wage adjustment of $0.25 on all hourly rates of pay on April 3, 2027).”
Metro Vancouver clarified that regardless of any job action, there will be no disruption to essential services like drinking water, wastewater treatment and solid waste management.
mmmm, town hall just gives themselves a raise whenever they want
*FIRE THEM ALL. THIS IS COMPLETELY BLACKMAIL.. TYPICAL OF UNIONS…