VANCOUVER – CUPE has asked the Labour Relations Board to put the brakes on the City of Vancouver’s attempt to force workers to vote on a final offer.
This morning CUPE filed a formal submission at the LRB arguing that the City of Vancouver has breached the Labour Code. The Union says that the City has committed an unfair labour practice and bargained in bad faith, bargaining directly with the members of CUPE 15, which represents 2,500 workers in Vancouver, and including one-sided propaganda about the employer proposal in an email to all CUPE 15 members at the workplace during working hours.
At the same time, the City of Vancouver has cut off CUPE 15’s longstanding access to the city email system, cutting members off from access to their union.
“The City needs to get to the table prepared to bargain. We believe that they have acted very inappropriately, both legally and in terms of building a positive relationship with unions as we move toward the 2010 Olympics,” says Paul Faoro, president of CUPE 15.
“This is shameful. The City is playing games instead of getting to an agreement that lets us all share the benefits of a strong economy and a vibrant city, where we are able to support and retain experienced workers and offer new workers a fair package,” says Faoro.
CUPE 15 is currently finalizing essential service discussions in anticipation of job action, following a 93.5-per-cent vote in favour of strike action. CUPE 1004, representing outside workers in Vancouver, is also in a position to take strike action, with a 96-per-cent strike mandate from its members.
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Contacts: Paul Faoro, CUPE 15 President: (604) 879-4671–office; (604) 202-1829–cell
Keith Graham, CUPE 15 Chief Negotiator: (604) 785-7266–cell