(Sydney) CUPE Local 5050 school board workers will be casting ballots in front of the Cape Breton-Victoria Regional School Board (CBVRSB) office on George St. tomorrow afternoon in what theyre calling the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. MOBILE.
The local will be parking the mobile polling van outside board offices, after the employer refused to allow them to conduct their vote on school property. CUPE says they have extended this courtesy to the teachers union in the past, and this is yet another example of the boards disrespectful treatment of its 1,400 members.
CUPE members will be voting on the boards latest offer, as well as conducting a strike vote.
Local 5050 President Todd MacPherson says, This dispute is not about money. The board offer has a series of concessions in it that would take our members back 10 years. People dont join unions to move backwards.
MacPherson says, While were not looking for a strike; we want this employer to know that if we have to strike - we will. The current offer is totally unacceptable.
(ASSIGNMENT/PHOTO EDITORS: The CUPE R.E.S.P.E.C.T. MOBILE will be in front of the CBVRSB school board head office on George St. from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Friday April 12, 2002.)
For information:
Todd MacPherson, President, CUPE Local 5050
(902) 549-2873 (Cell) - (902) 849-3826 (Home, after 4:00 p.m.)
John McCracken, CUPE Communications Representative
(902) 455-4180 (o)