Colwood municipal workers deliver strong strike mandate
Municipal workers in Colwood, represented by CUPE 374, have voted 92 per cent in favour of strike action.
"This result sends a clear message that workers believe the employer needs to take a different approach. We hope the City and Council will take this opportunity to find common ground and work with us to negotiate a fair agreement that supports both workers and the services residents rely on,” says CUPE 374 President Shireen Clark.
The central outstanding issue is the City’s insistence that workers accept cuts to health-related leave in exchange for wage increases in line with what other workers in the region have already negotiated. The union says that since this type of leave is offered by other municipal employers in the region, and that eliminating this benefit will make it harder for Colwood to remain competitive in attracting and retaining the skilled and experienced workers needed to support a growing community.
"Residents rely on municipal workers every day, whether it's maintaining roads and parks, supporting public safety, or providing services at City Hall," says Clark. "To continue delivering the quality services residents expect, Colwood needs to remain competitive with other municipalities in the region when it comes to attracting and retaining skilled workers."
