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City unionized employees return 99% strike vote
Mediation dates set for city labour negotiations
A labour dispute between the City of Kimberley and United Steelworkers (USW) Local I-405 employees is heading to mediation after a 99% strike vote was returned last night.
After 10 days of bargaining, the city applied for mediation after the union declared an impasse had been reached in negotiations. The city had scheduled bargaining dates on June 22 and 23 but they were cancelled when an impasse was declared.
The city bargaining team remains available for negotiations to continue, the city noted in a press release.
USW Local I-405, which represents 97 city employees, conducted a strike vote Tuesday, June 21, with a 99% vote in favour of a strike returned; 90% of the eligible employees took part in the vote.
“It’s a pretty strong message that’s been sent to the employer,” said Jeff Bromley, lead negotiator for the Steelworkers. “We’re hopeful now that the employer will move away from the stance they’ve taken at the bargaining table and remove the concessions that stand in the way of a fair collective agreement for our members.”
The two sides will now meet with Labour Relations Board appointed mediator Trevor Sones on July 13 and 14.
“The city is hopeful of receiving recommendations from the mediator that will be mutually agreeable to both the city and the union. The city anticipates reaching a settlement which is in the best interests of the community and which is fair and respectful to city workers, residents, and businesses,” the city press release stated.
The Collective Agreement expired February 29 and talks broke off June 14.
Bromley said there are key points that still need to be addressed.
“We’re not going to lose negotiated vacation provisions. Regardless of where you work, I think that is completely unacceptable. Those vacation provisions have been around a long time,” he said, adding, “We have a fair job evaluation program that the employer wants to scrap. It (the job evaluation program) has done a great job of bringing our inside positions, those occupied by mostly female members, to a wage parity with our other (outside) positions, that used to be occupied by mostly male members. That’s changing and changing for the better. Wage parity achieved through this Job Evaluation system is something our members have supported through the last ten years and three collective agreements. We’re not interested in changing that course now.”
The City of Kimberley website and Facebook page will be updated regularly to keep the public informed of any service disruptions that may occur in the event of job action.
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