Month: December 2014

The City of Castlegar has finally ratified a new collective agreement with its civic workers – members of CUPE Local 2262.  CUPE members found out through local media that the mayor and council had voted to ratify the deal this morning, nine days after the union voted overwhelmingly to accept the collective agreement.

Today’s vote by Council ends the first Castlegar civic strike in 60 years. City workers were out on full strike since Nov. 8 before the City agreed to return to the bargaining table on Dec. 22. A tentative agreement was reached after two days of mediated talks.

The ratification vote delay by the City left 35 city workers on picket lines for more than a week. While it appears the vote could have been taken right away, Mayor Lawrence Chernoff chose to postpone the ratification until City Councillors finished their Christmas holidays.

The City has yet to announce details of the return-to-work timetable, but earlier agreed in writing that employees will be at or scheduled for work no later than Monday, Jan. 5.

CUPE Local 2262 President Leford Lafayette says union members are looking forward to getting back to work keeping Castlegar city services running safely and smoothly.

The new six-year agreement is retroactive to February 2013 and includes a 35 cent-per-hour increase for the first year followed by annual wage increases of 1.5 per cent in each of the next two years and two per cent a year in the final three years of the deal.

The agreement also includes language improvements to optical care, meal allowances and extended health. Letters of agreement address employer-paid time for grievance investigation and a clearer definition of exempt staff and bargaining unit work.

As well, the two parties have agreed to take action on outstanding grievances and participation in a BC Labour Relations Board sponsored relationship enhancement program.

CUPE 2262 members do a wide range of jobs including keeping roads and sidewalks clear, maintaining public parks and outdoor rinks, the water treatment plant and services for the public at city hall.

Contact:

Leford Lafayette, CUPE 2262 President:  250-608-9983 Murray Bush, CUPE National Communications Representative:  778-554-2234

The message was loud and clear at Friday’s support rally for striking Castlegar workers – you are NOT alone.

The 34 members of CUPE 2262 have been on the picket lines for more than a month and legally on strike since August. The city so far refuses to return to the bargaining table.

The local and the United Steelworkers Local 480 co-hosted a rally outside city hall. Close to 100 people turned up in the middle of the day to pledge their continued support.

Union after union called for the mayor and council to return to the bargaining table to settle the first Castlegar city strike in 60 years.

CUPE National Servicing Representative Lori Sutherland told the crowd it’s “not acceptable that we are out on the picket line for more than five weeks. We need to get back to the table to work out the last couple of outstanding issues.”

United Steelworkers Local 480 president Armindo deMedeiros told a cheering crowd, “In Castlegar they promote respectful workplaces and then they turn around and put the union in a position where they have to take strike action. I say shame, shame on you.”

Local media reported that Castlegar Mayor Lawrence Chernoff refused to comment, saying only that demonstrations of support for the striking workers ‘isn’t helping the situation.’

City workers, members of CUPE Local 2262, are holding a noon hour rally today outside city hall.  The event is a show of support from other unions and the community for the workers who have been on the picket line for more than a month.

CUPE Local 2262 president Leford Lafayette says it’s difficult to convey what the support of fellow unions like the Steelworkers and community members means to those 34 civic workers on strike.

“Every time you honk your horn, stop by for a chat or drop off donations it strengthens our resolve to get a fair and reasonable contract,” he says.

So far the City has ignored union calls to return to the bargaining table, rejecting CUPE attempts to settle the first civic strike in Castlegar’s history.

“We believe,” says Leford, “that the responsibility of our elected officials – the mayor and council – includes fair treatment for Castlegar public workers. We believe that the mayor and council needs to show some leadership and take us up on our invitation to settle this dispute.  ” Leford adds that city officials “were elected on a platform of best serving the community – and that means ensuring that the qualified professional city workers are on the job keeping our streets and community clean and safe. “

What: Support Rally for Striking Civic Workers
When: 12 Noon, Dec. 12
Where: Outside Castlegar City Hall

Civic workers out on strike for a month say morale remains strong, despite the City’s refusal so far to restart talks.

The first-ever walkout by 34 members of CUPE Local 2262 has picket lines in place at Castlegar City Hall, the treatment plant, public works yard and rink.   “We continue to reach out to the City to get back to the bargaining table,” says CUPE 2262 strike committee member Brad Ashton, adding that “the community has been very supportive and recognizes the need for city workers to stand up to the City on the outstanding issues of employee representation and job security.”

The union has been trying to get the City back to the bargaining table to reach a new agreement to replace the contract that expired in February 2013.

City Hall payroll clerk Jo Petit is a case in point. She says that after a month on the line, “we’re frustrated by the city’s refusal to talk, but we’re encouraged by the amount of community support.  We get out there and people are honking and waving. We talk to people coming to City Hall and most respect our picket line – I think the secret to keeping our morale up is that we stay positive and we don’t bash, even though we have been frustrated by much of the misinformation put out by the city.  ”

Petit adds that being on the line gives city workers a chance “to discuss our issues with people and remind them that we want to be back at work, especially at this time of year.”

Roads and Parks foreman Al Cawte agrees saying, “morale has been buoyed by tonnes of public support, not just in honks and waves but in friends and neighbours actually coming down to the picket lines and bringing us baked goods, coffee, soup – even firewood.” Other unions have also pitched in with donations and the Carpenters’ Union even built us a warming hut.

Public support is key, says Cawte, “because we are a public-driven workforce.  It lets us know we are on the right track, even though we want to be back at work doing the jobs we are trained to do and providing the public with the levels of service they are accustomed to.”

“What has to happen, I think, is that City Council has to realize that we need to be at the bargaining table to hammer out a deal – and that continued discussion could find us a solution.” The faster we can focus on productive talks and get back to work, the faster we can start working through our issues and repairing the relationship.”

Cawte has been working for the city for close to 25 years and says he never thought there would have to be a strike.  “In the past we always managed to find enough common ground to settle – this time there was no last-minute deal.”