March 6, 2000, Nakusp Members of CUPE local 2450, completed a strike vote on March 5, 2000 which resulted in a 97% vote in favour of taking strike action should that action become necessary.
Alice McKee, President of CUPE Local 2450 Arrow Lakes School district, said her members are anxious to come to a contract agreement with their employer. “Bargaining has been more frustrating than difficult.” said McKee, “Our employer seems to be hamstrung by an inability to respond to our key issues. And that situation seems to come from the fact that they no longer have the authority to make decisions. I hope that all levels of employer, including the provincial government, come together with CUPE Locals to resolve the dilemma we are in.”
Local 2450 is among the 47 CUPE school locals that belong to the Sectoral Bargaining Committee (SBC). The co-ordinating committee, speaking on behalf of all locals in a position to strike announced on Friday, March 3rd that unless locals have been able to reach agreement with their school districts by March 27th they will use their strike mandates.
Gary Johnson, CUPE national representative and SBC co-ordinator is calling on all school districts to work with CUPE and the government to bring an end to uncertainty in the K-12 sector and let students, parents, teachers and CUPE members get on with their lives.
Information:
Alice McKee, president of CUPE 2450
(250) 269-7600
Gary Johnson, CUPE national representative
(604) 219-3703
Regular information updates regarding CUPE K-12 Sectoral Bargaining can be found at www.cupe.bc.ca/sbc