(Truro) – School board workers with the Chignecto Central Regional School Board have voted 93% in favour of strike action to back their contract demands and to fight employer demands for major concessions.
The members of CUPE Local 3890 voted on Saturday in New Glasgow, Truro and Amherst. The union represents Custodians, Bus Drivers and Maintenance personnel at the Chignecto Board.
CUPE National Representative Terry Goulding says, “These employees are generally frustrated that there has been no progress in settling outstanding issues since local bargaining began in January of this year.”
Goulding says, “The union prepared a newsletter to update its members in April and nothing in that document has changed since, despite the fact the parties have completed several days of bargaining including three days with the services of a Department of Labour Conciliation Officer.
The union says issues that are outstanding come under two headings: job security and equality.
CUPE Local 3890 President Ron Davis says, “To this point the union negotiators have the distinct impression that this employer is not taking our proposals seriously. It is our hope that with this strong strike vote from CUPE members, they will return to the bargaining table to make a serious attempt at settling those outstanding issues.
“While nobody ever wants to see a strike occur, our members are sending a clear message that employer demands to weaken our contract are simply not acceptable,” says Davis.
