MOOSE JAW – Members of CUPE Local 9 who provide police support services in Moose Jaw have voted with 82 per cent majority against the final contract offer from the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners.
Members are seeking a fair agreement that addresses a long standing concern about wage parity with other police support workers across the province. Communications officers with the same job in Prince Albert or Regina would be getting paid up to 7-12 dollars more an hour.
“This vote sends a clear message to the employer: this deal does not do enough to bring us to the same wage level as other police support workers in the province,” says Ryan Nelson, CUPE Local 9 president. “This inequity has gone on for far too long. It is time for fair deal.”
CUPE Local 9 members have been without a contract for over two years. On August 27 members voted by 83 per cent to take job action up to and including a strike. In February, the parties entered into a conciliation process with assistance from the provincial government’s Labour Relations and Mediation branch.
“We want to continue supporting the people behind the badge,” says Nelson. “Police support workers have no plans to initiate job action in the immediate future, but the union is keeping our options open.”
CUPE 9 represents 27 workers at the Moose Jaw Board of Police Commissioners. These police support workers answer 911 transferred calls, help diffuse situations on the phone, type reports and court documents, provide administration, process tickets, process and maintain police evidence, do criminal records checks and fingerprinting – and other services required including updating the Canadian Police Information Centre database.
Contact:
Ryan Nelson, CUPE 9 President: 306.694.4463