The union representing the City of Calgary’s inside workers has cancelled a strike vote that was set for this Friday. Members instead will vote on the city’s latest contract offer.
The 4,100 members of CUPE Local 38 are being told the offer from the city is likely the best they can get without taking any sort of job action.
“This may be the best deal we can get this round unless we escalate,” D’arcy Lanovaz, president of CUPE 38, said.
Before any decision is taken on job action, he wants to hear from members.
“We as a bargaining team have made a decision to, rather than take a strike vote, put this proposal to our membership for a vote so that we can hear very clearly from our members what their feelings are on the employer’s last offer,” the union president said.
Lanovaz said the union is not making a recommendation of acceptance or rejection of the offer.
Lanovaz also said he would not make public the city’s proposed agreement until his union members voted.
Members have been without a deal since the start of 2018 after a four-year deal that gave them a wage increase of 12.5 per cent over the term of the collective bargaining agreement.
Lanovaz said negotiation has been a long process.
“Clearly we have very distinct differences of opinion on where the economy is at. When we factor in workload for our members and all that they’ve gone through, it’s been a long round (of negotiations) and both parties have taken some pretty strong stances,” Lanovaz told Global News.
CUPE 38 represents the City of Calgary inside workers as well as employees with Enmax and the Calgary Parking Authority.
Talks still continue between the city CUPE Local 37, the city’s outside workers.
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