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VANCOUVER — Labour relations at the University of British Columbia took a turn for the worse today as a second CUPE local began the process of service withdrawal to a campus about to enter the final phase of the academic year.

CUPE Local 2950 representing more than 1500 support staff at UBC as well as the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts were forced into taking job action by a university administration bent on concessions such as refusing to fund pay equity and reducing support benefits. In addition, the University is looking to introduce privatization into campus administration.

Natalie Lisik, president of CUPE Local 2950 finds Martha Piper’s double standards deplorable. “Despite benefiting from measures to improve equality for women, Martha Piper is leading the charge to continue paying women less than their male counterparts at UBC.” Lisik is referring to the University’s decision to control job evaluation to keep wages compressed, and not fund pay equity and benefits agreements reached during several years of bargaining. “What’s more,” said Lisik, “Under Martha’s reign the University has joined Gordon Campbell’s attack on working people. They no longer believe that it is in their best interests to negotiate a fair deal for employees.”

The contract for CUPE local 2950 expired on March 31, 2002, bargaining started in January 2002. The local asked mediator Mark Brown to book out today. Events related to the strike will be announced on the local’s Web site at cupe2950.ubc.ca.



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Contact:
Natalie Lisik, President of CUPE Local 2950 at
604-822-1494 or 604-961-9555(cell).