REGINA: Regina Public Library workers served their employer with strike notice today to back up their contract proposals for pay equity, job security and improved benefits.
Contract negotiations between library management and the workers, members of CUPE Local 1594, broke off on March 25 after three days of bargaining with the help of provincial conciliator Doug Forseth. The union membership voted 84% in favour of taking job action at a meeting on February 11.
The employer continues to refuse to address the issues of benefit parity with library management, contracting out and technological change protection for employees, and minimum hours for part-time workers, said Mike Keith, CUPE staff representative.
The 180 library workers also want to negotiate pay equity through a job evaluation plan designed to eliminate gender-based wage discrimination.
This female dominated workplace is underpaid and undervalued, said Keith. We need to put together a plan that will identify the wage gaps and then negotiate how to reduce that gap. Instead, we have an employer who seems content to let this inequity continue.
The union will place an overtime ban on the workplace starting at 9:00 a.m. on April 2. Further job action is a possibility, said Keith. The union is hopeful the employer will return to the bargaining table willing to address the major concerns of the membership.
The library workers have been without a new agreement since December 31, 2000.
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For more information contact Mike Keith at 525-5874.